


Kin's Love

by VOlympianlove



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-28
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 16:44:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 73,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6996289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VOlympianlove/pseuds/VOlympianlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hear Raven’s gift! A hart’s life he shall live when the sun rises, only in his true form once the earth is covered by midnight sky blankets.”</p>
<p>“Neither man nor beast as the hour of his birth passes. Standing on two legs after midnight has passed but four when the dawn approaches.”</p>
<p>“The blood of his family that runs through his veins, on his twenty fifth birthday, an arrow shot true will be his bane. In his impending doom, a kin’s love his only boon.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I am very very grateful to my beta writers who have stuck with me from the beginning to the end of this monster fic. Without them, this would most likely have ended up in the scrapped works pile in my computer folder. Many more changes will be made to this fic in the future but at the moment, I am happy with this:) I had a wonderful time writing this and I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it:)

The moors glowed golden-green against the bright sunlight as a large party rode across them, horse hooves thundering towards the thick forests that separated the kingdom of Chiave from the empty lands on which the ruins of Castle Adfeilion stood. The kingdom was surrounded by high cliffs and sat right where the Southern and Western Seas met. On days where the sky was clear and shone as brightly as a robin’s egg, one could see the two seas meet, sapphire blue and emerald green waters  embracing each other like long lost lovers. While war tore other kingdoms down brick by brick, Chiave sat isolated from neighbouring countries, at peace and untouched by the horrors of war.

 Its nearly pristine history was preserved almost religiously and constantly reinforced by generations of great kings all under the Wu lineage. The Wu bloodline ran pure and strong, its men righteous and just leaders, thus always ensuring peace within the kingdom. The practice of magic was forbidden, a law enforced since ancient times from that one time magic nearly ripped the country apart. However, Draiochta or magic blood still lived within Chiave’s borders in secret.

 On that fine day, the current king of Chiave, Wu Yi Chen, was with his hunting party, riding across the moors on a spring morning towards the thick Mofa forest. The forest grew straight across the moors and extended all the way down to the beaches on the East and West of the country. The king was in high spirits as his wife had just been confirmed to be with child. He led his party of lords and guards into the forest, his best friend, Duke Junseo at his side. Upon finding a suitable place to hunt, Yi Chen swung off his horse, boots thudding gently onto the damp earth. The rest of the party followed suit as noiselessly as possible.

 

“We hunt for deer today.” The king announced quietly, trying to tone down his excitement but his eyes betrayed him as they danced merrily in elation. His favourite bloodhound sat at his feet peacefully, eyeing the rest of the party sombrely.

 “Let the hunt begin!”

 

The hounds were released, all well-trained enough not to bark or risk scaring away game. The men followed on foot with Junseo leading in front. Yi Chen settled at his best friend’s side as they tracked the deer. The forest was dense and thick, full green all around them. The hounds had ran on ahead of them and the party hurried to follow.

 Yi Chen turned his head to say something when his eye caught a flash of gold in the thicket to his left. His footsteps stopped.

 Junseo cast curious eyes towards him. “What is it Chen?”

 The king shook his head and prepared to continue but as he turned away, the gold flashed again. “Let’s go on ahead. I will tell you later,” he whispered, aware of the hunting party behind him. Junseo frowned but nodded. Yi Chen moved away and tried to focus on the tracks the hounds left behind but the gold kept flashing into the corner of his eye.

 They tracked the hounds until the sun was high in the sky, but there was no sign of any deer in the forest, so they stopped for rest by a stream, its waters running sweet and clear across the forest. Yi Chen dipped his waterskin into the cool water and offered it to Junseo. He nodded quietly toward the direction where he saw the flashing gold and Junseo understood immediately. The pair slipped away while the guards were busy tending to the other lords. Yi Chen hurried towards the light, Junseo following close behind.

 “Where are we going Chen? We will leave them behind!” The Duke was alarmed when his friend led them further and further into the woods, away from the rest of the party.

 Yi Chen’s footsteps paused. “Do you not see it?” He pointed to where the gold light was shining more brightly now, behind a thicket of branches.

 Junseo moved next to him and sure enough, he saw the gold glinting through the leaves.

 Yi Chen moved forward and swept aside a curtain of leaves and froze. His eyes alighted upon a handsome stag standing in the middle of the clearing. Its horns glittered as if they were made of gold and its coat was as white as snow, seeming to give off its own light. Dimly, he heard Junseo gasp when he positioned his bow and fitted an arrow to the bowstring. The stag was facing away, downwind from them, giving them an advantage. Yi Chen quietened his breathing and aimed his arrow. He had only one shot. He inhaled and gradually pulled back the bowstring.

 

_Twang!_

 

The arrow flew straight and true, burying itself into the creature’s chest. The stag reared and screamed in pain before collapsing onto its knees. Yi Chen almost felt sorry for it, but he drew his knife, knelt at the animal’s side and slit its throat before he knew what he was doing. Crimson red blood gushed from the cut, covering his hands and knees.

 “It is magnificent.” Junseo breathed as he knelt at Yi Chen's side. He laid a hand upon the stag’s head and pressed a kiss to its snout. “Thank you for giving your life.” He whispered in thanks. It was a necessity in his culture, to give thanks to a creature who had given its life.

 Yi Chen bowed his head in respect. He had just withdrawn a cloth to wipe clean the blade of his knife when the wind howled in fury, whistling through the trees and whipping branches back and forth. A black smoke swept through the clearing and congealed into the corporeal form of an ebony haired woman with cruel dark eyes and pale skin. She would have been beautiful if it had not been for the absolute fury in her eyes that caused the king to scramble away from the stag, bloody hands reaching for his sword. Junseo’s sword had already been drawn and the two men stood side by side, facing this adversary.

 The woman’s eyes were clouded with fury as she stared at the dead stag lying at her feet. The same eyes then travelled to the king with his bloodied hands and clothes as evidence of his kill. “You killed him,” she whispered coldly.

 A shiver ran up Yi Chen's spine as the woman’s gaze settled on him.

 “You killed him!” The trees responded to the woman's anguished roar, twisting as the wind howled as if in agony.

 Yi Chen stumbled back at the force of the woman’s grief as he frantically scrambled for an explanation.

 “You killed him.” The woman repeated dully as the wind died and an eerie silence filled the air. She stepped towards the king and he instinctively raised his sword. The woman’s red lips pulled back in a snarl. “You will pay, Wu Yi Chen. I will make you pay. Mark Raven’s words. Raven will make you pay.” With that chilling vow, she waved her hand and the stag melted into shadow along with her slender form.

 -

 A year passed, the memory of the woman’s words faded into nothing and Yi Chen worried no more. A king had no time to concern himself over such matters, for his queen had birthed him a beautiful baby boy, his heir to the throne, on the stroke of midnight on the twentieth of April. The baby prince was every bit as lovely as the regents had hoped, with beautiful doe eyes the colour of luscious chocolate and soft fair skin framed by golden curls.

 “He looks like a fawn.” Yi Chen cooed, stroking the baby’s cheek as his queen cradled the boy close to her.

 “Look at his eyes, as beautiful as yours,” the queen, Lan Ling whispered, smiling down at her newborn son.

 “Luhan.” The king pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead. The queen lifted her head to smile at him. “That’s a beautiful name my liege.”

 Yi Chen pressed his lips tenderly upon his wife’s and turned his gaze back to the little boy she held in her arms. “Luhan.” He breathed, the memory of the stag he had killed returning fresh and painful. It seemed fitting, to name his son after the beloved animal of the woman and he hoped that it would appease her , wherever she was.

 The king and queen spent as much time as they possibly could with their son, singing to him and telling him stories. The baby boy was healthy and seemed to grow ever lovelier as the days passed.

 “Sleep well Little Deer,” Yi Chen murmured into the child’s hair which seemed to glow more golden as he aged each day. The queen smiled at him from the other side of the crib. With great reluctance, Yi Chen set the boy into his crib, his beautiful eyes sliding close almost immediately.

 “Come, my love.” Lan Ling reached for his arm and he turned to smile at her. Luhan’s first birthday was the next day and the couple were excited to show the child to the public. The king sighed as his queen took up his arm and made to lead him out of the room.

 

_Bang!_

 

The door to the nursery slammed shut and the bolt slid into place. Yi Chen spun around, pushing his wife behind his back as his hand reached for the dagger he wore at his hip. Behind them, they heard the frantic cries of the guards as they struggled to get the door open.

 Black smoke filled the room, and the king’s heart filled with terror.

 “I hope you remember me, my king.” A sultry voice reached their ears, and the smoke cleared to reveal the same dark-haired woman Yi Chen had encountered in the forest. The king tensed, fear for his son filtering through his veins when he realised that the woman was cradling his beloved child in her arms. Behind him, Lan Ling let a soft cry of fear.

 “Beautiful son you’ve got here, Your Majesty.” The woman, Raven, smirked as she ran a hand through the golden hair of the sleeping child.

 “Give the boy to me.” Yi Chen breathed, sheathing his dagger. “What do you want?”

 Raven ignored him and lifted the child to her face, red lips pulled back in a cruel smile as the boy opened his eyes. ”Beautiful eyes,” she murmured as she held the child. Luhan gurgled in her arms, waving his little fists in the air, unaware of the grave danger he was in.

 “Almost like a doe’s.” Raven turned her eyes to the king standing by the door and grinned.

 “Give him to me. Please,” Yi Chen whispered, arms outstretched. His wife stifled a cry when Raven’s eyes darkened with malice.

 “Please!” Lan Ling cried out in fear as she reached pleading hands towards the woman.

 The midnight bell tolled and Raven smirked. “Happy Christening, Little Prince,” she whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss to the baby’s forehead. “It’s time for your christening gift.” Her lips curled into a cruel smirk and she flicked her wrist as the regents lunged forward.

 Yi Chen cried out in fury when he found his feet fastened to the floor, unable to aid his precious son. He struggled against the invisible bonds.

 Raven’s words rose above the queen’s desperate cries.

 

“Hear Raven’s gift! _A hart’s life he shall live when the sun rises, only in his true form once the earth is covered by midnight sky blankets.”_

 Raven's eyes brightened and started to change. She smiled and said her next words as if they brought her joy.

  _“Neither man nor beast_ _as the hour of his birth passes. Standing on two legs after midnight has passed but four when the dawn approaches.”_

 The room darkened with the black smoke until the violet of Raven's glowing eyes was the only light in the room.

  _“The blood of his family that runs through his veins, on his twenty fifth birthday, an arrow shot true will be his bane. In his impending doom, a kin’s love his only boon.”_

 As the final words passed her lips, Luhan seemed to realise that something was wrong and burst into tears, wailing loudly and swinging his tiny fists.

 

“Close your eyes Little Deer. Raven will walk you through your dreams.” Raven cooed softly and the boy’s eyes fluttered as his wails grew softer. She set him into his crib gently and flicked her wrist. The golden antlers of a deer rippled into existence.

 Yi Chen watched in horror as she laid the antlers across the child’s crib, the base of the horns stained with blood.

 “Good night little prince.” Raven smiled as she turned to face the regents, still bound by her magic.

 “Reverse it!” Yi Chen screamed in horror as he watched the macabre gift dripping blood onto his son.

 “You have given the child the curse Yi Chen. I promised vengeance on my pet and vengeance Raven will get.” She smirked, cruel eyes glinting in the darkness of the room.

 “He had nothing to do with it! Why should he have to suffer for what I have done? Reverse the curse, I beg of you. Do anything you want with me but leave the child. Please, leave my son.” Yi Chen gasped, grief stricken.

 “Too late,” Raven whispered, vanishing and leaving behind the acrid smell of smoke. On the table across the crib, the golden antler shone brilliantly.

 Yi Chen collapsed onto his knees, a sob tearing through his throat as his queen rushed forward, snatching her child from the crib and cradling him close to her, tears streaking down her face.

 “Why?” Lan Ling whimpered, rocking back and forth on the bed. Her tears fell upon the young prince’s face and woke him. His beautiful doe eyes stared at her as he grabbed a hold on her nightgown and tugged at it playfully.

 Yi Chen lifted himself from the floor wearily and went to stand by his queen. “I am sorry my son. Papa is so so sorry,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around his wife as his own tears slid down his face.

 -

 Zhang Cheng had been getting ready for bed when the frantic pounding started on his door. He glanced at his wife before he slipped his robes on and headed for the door. A very out of breath Captain Huang stood at his door, panting and bowing.

 “His Majesty requests your presence in his private chambers at once, Doctor Zhang,” The captain said.

 Zhang Cheng looked at the panicked expression on the man's face and strode out of the room immediately. His dark hair fell into his eyes as he followed the captain to the king’s chambers and he pushed it away haphazardly.

 It was rare for the king to summon him with his captain, so the situation must be extremely dire. The sound of weeping filled his ears as he entered the room after knocking. The queen sat upon the bed, her son clutched to her chest. Duke Kim stood by the door as they entered, a sombre expression cast upon his face. What struck Zhang Cheng as unusual was the king’s pale face and stricken expression.

 “What is the matter Your Majesty?” Zhang Cheng began cautiously, bowing before the king.

 “Yi Chen,” the king murmured, a small smile pulling at his down-turned lips.

 They always had this argument whenever the king had to be addressed. Looking at the king’s expression, Zhang Cheng decided to humour him. “I apologise, Yi Chen.”

 “My son,” Yi Chen began, his voice cracking with emotion. “He has been cursed to live as a hart, for the rest of his life.” The king's face was sunken, tear tracks still visible on his face as he intoned, “He will change the moment the sun rises this morning and only return to human form after midnight has passed.”

 Zhang Cheng sucked in a breath even as gasps of horror echoed around the room. _What had happened to magic being banned? How did this even happen?_ He wondered as he gazed upon the young prince sleeping in his mother’s arms, blissfully unaware of his fate.

 “Chen. What do you wish for us to do?” Junseo started, worry for his king and for the young prince creasing his brow. The king looked at him with dull eyes so unlike himself that Zhang Cheng half feared that the curse had taken his soul as well.

 “I do not know what to do,” Yi Chen admitted, gazing around the room. “I do not know how I can tell my people, who have thought that they were safe from all this, from curses and dark magic, that my son, my heir has been cursed by one they have feared for so long.” He pressed a hand to his face, swallowing back a helpless sob. He was a king and he should not look weak.

 “I can research the curse, if it makes you feel any better, my friend. But I must know the full incantation. It would make things easier,” Zhang Cheng volunteered, hoping that it would at least bring his spirits up a little.

 “What about my son?” Yi Chen whispered. “What will become of him?”

 Junseo bit his lip and swallowed. “There is a castle on the other side of the Mofa forest. The prince will be safe there. No one ever crosses the forest for any reason at all. If we keep him there until the danger has passed, he may avoid detection.”

 

A sob caught their attention and all eyes turned to the queen sitting on the bed. She stared at them with tear-filled eyes, arms curled protectively over her child.

 The king gulped. “What of the people, what will we tell them tomorrow?”

 “You mean today, Your Majesty,” Captain Huang cut in, gesturing to the window. The sky had started to turn a dark grey, signalling that the sun would be rising soon.

 “Tell them that the prince died of crib death suddenly during the night,” Zhang Cheng urged. It was the only plausible reason that could explain the disappearance of a child.

 “I will send my most trusted guard to watch over the boy,” Junseo said, eyes searching.

 “Love?” Yi Chen turned to his wife, feeling exhausted.

 “Will he be safe?” Lan Ling murmured, looking agonised at the thought of having to part with her beloved son.

 “My most trusted guard will take care of him, my lady.”

 The queen bit her lip, looking down at the peaceful face of her baby. “May I at least hold him till the sun rises?” she pleaded, looking at her husband.

 Yi Chen gritted his teeth and nodded. “Junseo, send for your man. We must prepare immediately. You must leave at sunrise, before the town stirs or you will raise suspicion. Huang, go down to the stables and prepare a horse and supplies.”

 “As you wish, my friend.” Junseo bowed and vanished out the door, Captain Huang following suit.

Yi Chen sagged into his seat, a defeated look on his face. Zhang Cheng reached for the king’s shoulder boldly, worried for his friend’s health. “You must rest, Chen,” he said quietly. “And you as well, my lady. This night has taken a toll on the both of you.”

 Yi Chen shrugged him off and rose from his seat. “I will rest as soon as I send Junseo off with his man.”

 The horse was prepared along with saddlebags of supplies for the baby prince and the man who had been called for. The regents walked out into the open moors with their beloved son in their arms, waiting as the sun rose from its bed and shone its first rays upon the moors. Lan Ling gasped in surprise when the bundle in her arms grew heavier and started to shift. The baby stirred and kicked out, soft fleshy arms lengthening into hard bones. She bit back a sob as she gazed at her child, now a fawn with mousy brown fur and white specks on his back.

 Luhan blinked up at her with beautiful brown eyes and whined. He was hungry.

 The queen broke down into sobs as the king laid a pendant made of silver skilfully shaped into the shape of a key over the fawn’s head. “This was to be your christening gift my son,” he said when Luhan nosed at the curiously shaped thing hanging around his neck.

 Yi Chen pressed a kiss to the fawn’s forehead and the queen followed suit, muffling her cries into his soft fur. The fawn bleated and nudged at his mother’s face before his little tongue darted out to lick the salt from her tears. The king lifted the fawn from his mother’s arms and settled him into the arms of the man who would be the one raising him in his parents’ place. “Shinwoo. My son’s life is in your hands now. Please, take good care of him.”

 The man, Shinwoo bowed his head as he held the prince. “I will do my utmost, Your Majesty.”

 “Hurry. Go before the town awakens,” Yi Chen whispered roughly, emotion choking his words.

 Shinwoo mounted the horse, drawing the hood of his cloak up and securing the fawn close to him. The journey ahead would be treacherous but he had sworn his life to protect the prince and he would. “I will take my leave, Your Majesties.” Shinwoo gathered the reins and spurred the horse forward.

 The king pulled his queen into his arms as together, they watched their son disappear from their life, perhaps, forever.

 


	2. Chapter 1

Ten year old Wu Yifan raced through the castle, glancing behind him at his best friend Zhang Yixing who was lagging behind. “C’mon or he will catch us!”

“Fan, I don’t think I can…” Yixing gasped, breaths heaving out of him painfully, as he clutched at his sides that felt as if they were on fire.

“Oh come on!” Yifan snatched up his friend’s wrist and tugged him along roughly, furtively glancing behind him, amber eyes searching for the shadow of his language tutor.

Yixing stumbled, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. “Fan please…” he pleaded, trying to wrench his hand out of Yifan’s grip. His chest was hurting and the air felt like it was being sucked out of his lungs. His knees buckled and he nearly fell again, only to be caught in his friend's arms.

Yifan dragged him behind a corner, still wheezing, just in time before the tutor stormed into the hallway.

“Wu Yifan!” The man yelled, looking for all the world as if he was about to explode.

Yifan giggled and covered his mouth as he slid onto the floor. Yixing took this opportunity to catch his breath, though it was hard with him curled halfway in his best friend’s lap.

For a while now, the sight of Yifan had been enough to steal the air from Yixing’s lungs. Yifan always made him feel funny every time he initiated contact by grabbing his wrist or waist. Yixing did not appreciate the feeling of breathlessness every time he saw his best friend, but he still pretended as if he was fine when inside, he was wondering if he should consult his father about this impending illness of his.

Yifan curled his hand around Yixing's wrist again, tugging him up to his feet just as he felt as if he could breathe again. “Run!” Yifan whispered, nudging him hard.

Yixing staggered before Yifan’s momentum caught him and they sprinted down the hallway, very aware of the boots thudding heavily behind them as they made their escape.

After tugging open the heavy door at the end of the hallway, the two of them tumbled out into the gardens. The grass was unbelievably soft beneath their bare feet when they slowed to catch their breaths, sure that the tutor would not think to search for them in the gardens.

“Come on little star, you’re it!” Yifan touched Yixing’s arm and broke away from him, darting across the garden like a swallow, amber eyes shining with mischief and delight.

Yixing let out a noise of frustration as he set off after his friend. He could never catch Yifan. No matter how hard he tried, Yifan was always just out of reach, both literally and figuratively, though the boy was still too young to know what the difference between their statuses meant. Yixing struck out across the luxurious lawn, determined to catch him this time. He barrelled after Yifan, who darted away from him easily and made a break for the garden maze. He slipped between two tall hedges and vanished from sight.

With his chest heaving and his sides burning again, Yixing cursed inwardly and swore that he would be more active, if only so that he could catch Yifan just one time. He doubled over at the entrance of the maze, clutching at his stomach, trying to get enough air into his lungs.

“Little star, have you given up yet?” Yifan’s teasing voice rose into the air.

Yixing bit back a pained gasp as he broke into a run, more determined than ever to make his friend pay. He chased Yifan all the way to the centre of the maze, tall green hedges flying past him as he tried to breathe past the burning in his lungs.

“Given up now XingXing?” Yifan sing songed as he danced just out of reach of Yixing’s outstretched fingers. “Oh Yifan, do stop teasing Yixing. He’s exhausted.” A soft, gentle voice came up from behind them and Yifan turned to see the gardener, also Yixing’s mother, walk into the center.

Yixing glared at him, stopping in his chase to bend over, clutching at his stomach again and wheezing painfully.

Yifan pouted. “It’s not my fault he likes books better than the outdoors.”

Liu Xing reached out to take her son into her arms. “You know he’s right, my star,” she said and smiled down at him.

Yixing wheezed, the air rushing into his lungs painfully cold. It was well known in the palace that Yixing had inherited both his father’s love of books and his mother’s passion for plants. For a child only at the tender age of nine, Yixing had read a remarkable amount of books. He spent most of his time devouring the books in the castle’s library or out in the gardens on his knees with his mother, that is, when he was not with Yifan. Yixing was like Yifan’s shadow. Wherever Yifan went, you were sure to find Yixing not far behind, tagging along like a little puppy, sometimes with a book in his hands.

“That’s not true.” Yixing retorted as soon as he had gotten his breath back. “I spend a lot of time in the gardens.”

“Yeah, gardening. Not running or playing. Sometimes you’re such a bore Yixing.” Yifan rolled his eyes and plopped onto the soft grass, examining the flowers planted on the hedges in the center of the maze.

Ignoring the sting of Yifan’s words, Yixing settled himself down next to Yifan. The prince prodded at the flower carefully, mesmerised by the bright yellow colour. “What’s this flower called?” Yifan asked curiously.

“It’s a chrysanthemum. It symbolizes fidelity, optimism, joy and long life.” Yixing recited the words from memory. “It relieves sore throat, fever and can ease digestion.”

Liu Xing smiled. “Well done, Yixing.”

Yixing grinned up at his mother who patted his head before turning to clip at the flowers adorning the paragon sitting not far from where the two boys were lying on the grass.

“What are the two of you doing here anyway? Isn’t it nearly time for your archery lesson, Yifan?” Liu Xing winked at her son.

Yifan sat up. “We’d better go. Thanks for reminding me Xing jie.” Liu Xing always asked Yifan to call her jie despite the fact that she was Yixing’s mother.

Yixing groaned when Yifan dragged him to his feet. “Bye, Mama.” He called as he broke into a run after Yifan who had vanished again into the maze.

The two boys hurried to pull on boots in order not to be late. Yixing would not have minded even if they were. If there was one lesson in the world that Yixing could hate, archery would be the one. The arrow never obeyed his will and always flew in another direction whenever he tried. He could recite everything to do with archery written in the books but could never do it right. However, he did his best, because Yifan excelled at this class and would never miss it for the world. Captain Huang always praised Yifan for his form and precision while Yixing could barely hold the bow straight enough to shoot.

“Well, you guys are early.” Captain Huang greeted them with a smile, his eight year old son standing a little ways behind him. Yifan had met Zitao before and thought him to be adorable. Yixing was too busy gasping for air to return his greeting.

“Today, Yifan will be learning horseback archery," Captain Huang said, "while you, Yixing will pick up where you left off in the last lesson.”

Yifan cheered while Yixing looked at the ground sulkily. It was going to be a long lesson…

 

 

 “That was amazing, even though I missed nearly all the targets.” Yifan chattered happily as they headed in the direction of the dining hall where dinner awaited them.

Yixing shook his head miserably. “I’m hopeless. I can’t even hold the bow right.” He bit back tears of frustration, not wanting Yifan to think he was a cry baby. The lesson had been an absolute disaster with Captain Huang trying to correct his aim and technique and Zitao, who was a year younger than him, shooting perfect bullseyes next to him. Yixing hated not being able to do something right.

Yifan heard the catch in his friend's voice and turned to Yixing with concern in his eyes. “Are you alright?” He asked nervously. Yixing never cried, not even when he had broken his arm falling out of a tree when he was six.

Yixing swallowed hard. “I’m…I’m not feeling well. I don’t think I want dinner tonight.” He mumbled and drifted in the opposite direction of the dining hall.

Yifan turned away as well. If Yixing was not going for dinner, then he would not either. Dinner would be boring without Yixing to entertain him. “I’ll come with you.” He followed Yixing up to his chambers where the boy just left the door open and plopped face first onto his bed.

“I’m sorry about archery.” Yifan mumbled as he went to sit next to Yixing, his best friend straightening up to hug his knees to his chest. “I could help you if you want?” He offered weakly, feeling sorry that he had, although unknowingly, rubbed salt into the wound by talking about how much fun he had during his lesson.

Yixing looked up from his knees, face brightening. “Will you?”

“Yeah. We could do it after dinner. I’m sure I could persuade Nurse to let us stay out a bit later.”

Yixing snorted. “Good luck with that. We could do tomorrow afternoon? After history.”

Yifan nodded enthusiastically and reached over to pull Yixing into a hug. “Feel better, Little Star.” He murmured into the crook of Yixing’s neck.

Yixing squealed when the warmth of Yifan’s breath tickled his neck. “Eeee get away!” He shoved Yifan so hard that the poor boy nearly tumbled off the bed.

Yifan grabbed a hold of the sheets to stop himself from falling, looking hurt.

“I’m sorry. It’s just… my neck. It’s really really sensitive.” Yixing apologised, reaching out with open arms.

Yifan wrapped himself back around Yixing and hugged him, careful to avoid his neck this time.

“And I’m not little.” Yixing pouted as they separated.

“Yes you are. You’re so small.” Yifan grinned fondly at his best friend and plopped his head into Yixing’s lap. “Now I want dinner.”

 

The night ended with the Nurse hunting down the crown prince, and the pair getting a scolding for not being present in the dining hall when Duke Kim had arrived with his son eager to greet them. Besides, Yifan reasoned, Joonmyun always knew where to find them. They always spent the time after dinner in the library because Yixing wanted to read and would try to persuade Yifan into reading a book as well.

“Why did you two not come to greet us?” Joonmyun asked as he plopped into an armchair next to the fireplace in the library. Across him, Yixing had his nose buried in a book about the magical rebellion, and Yifan was rolling around on the carpeted floor, occasionally prodding at Yixing’s toes which were hanging off the floor above him.

“Yifan did not want to face the formalities,” Yixing answered without looking up from his book.

Joonmyun frowned at Yifan who was now reaching up to poke at his toes instead. “You’re the crown prince, Yifan. You need to be more polite to guests.” Joonmyun had always been a stickler for rules and also more formal. Yixing was as well but then he always listened to Yifan first.

“It’s boring. Besides, Xing, don’t act like you have not been dying to get here to read that book of yours that you are now ignoring me for.”

Yixing shot Yifan a look over the top of his massive book and kicked out his feet when Yifan tried tickling his toes again.

Joonmyun sighed and reached for the book that Yixing had lent him after countless days of begging. “You are both hopeless.”

Yixing pouted but let the words fly over his head in favour of absorbing the information from the book.

Yifan groaned and stretched. “I’m bored. Little star, sing me a song.”

Yixing sighed.

_Nobody notices me, hidden in my own little corner._

_Waiting for the torture to be over with no one to care for me._

_The starlight shines so bright on me, the shadows so lonely and indifferent._

_My life alone, leaving scars and loneliness._

_The tears in my eyes soaking into my pillow listening to you talking…_

 

“Why’d you stop?” Joonmyun exclaimed, outraged.

Yifan simply sighed and covered his eyes with his arm. “He cannot find the words to continue.”

Yixing glared at the text in his book. He had started the song on the little harpsichord that had been gifted to him and wrote it one night when all seemed so dark and lonely but the words to the song stopped flowing, so he stopped writing.

“That’s sad. It is a beautiful song, Yixing.” Joonmyun nodded approvingly in Yixing’s direction and Yixing flashed him a brilliant smile.

“Sing me another, little star.”

“You are very demanding, Your Highness.” Yixing kicked out just as Yifan reached up to tickle his toes again.

Yifan sat up, indignant. “Don’t call me that!”

Yixing smiled soothingly and began another song.

_Innocent like a child who knows nothing, reborn into that beautiful moment._

_Blinking so quickly because I fear that this may be a dream._

_I stand before you now, in love and craving for your attention._

_I only wish to walk with you, the both of us, with our footsteps in sync._

 

_When the wind I’ve been riding lands upon your world, the white wind curls gently around you._

_You ask me where I came from and I smile, saying that it’s a secret._

_As long as it is always you and me walking together, heaven is wherever we will go._

 

“Did you write that one as well?” Joonmyun sighed in contentment as the last notes of the song faded away into silence.

Yixing nodded and closed his book, looking down at Yifan who was curled at the feet of his armchair, eyes half closed and nearly asleep. He smiled fondly and slid off the chair, setting his book down. “Come on now, silly Dragon. It’s time for bed.”

Together, Joonmyun and Yixing managed to wrestle Yifan into bed and retired to their own chambers for the night.

 

 

 As Yifan grew older, he started to wonder what things were like outside the safety of the castle walls. He asked once, when he turned sixteen, to be permitted to go outside, just into the marketplace to explore, but his parents were so strongly against it that he never dared to ask again. It was unfair, he thought, that Yixing could travel so freely in and out of the castle and he had to be caged like a bird with its flight feathers clipped.

Yixing took pity on him and often brought him treats from the marketplace as well as interesting texts. Those treats quenched his hunger for the outside for a while though not for long and he began to devise plans to escape the walls that were starting to become suffocating. Yixing discouraged these ideas as did Joonmyun whenever he caught wind of those plans.

Yifan didn't give up. He was determined to see the world outside, see everything that he hadn't seen yet at whatever cost. And so, one day, he managed to rope Zitao into helping him escape.

“Where do you think you are going, Your Highness?”

_Damn it_. His hands froze around the rope he had been planning on throwing over the wall. He hated that goddamned title and had no idea why Yixing insisted on using it the moment he'd turned eighteen. His childhood best friend stood at the base of the wall, arms folded and lips pressed tightly together in disapproval.

Yixing’s growing up had surprised Yifan the most. The chubby boy who spent all his time with books and practically worshipped him disappeared with all his baby fat and tendency to follow along with Yifan’s reckless plans. Yixing had grown up lean and incredibly beautiful with his dark soulful eyes and curly light-brown hair that flopped into his eyes. Yixing had a tendency to push it away with his slender fingers calloused from harp playing.

“Nowhere.” Yifan grinned sheepishly down at Yixing who still remained a head shorter than him.

Yixing raised an eyebrow. “In that case, you would not mind if I escorted you to your next lesson would you, Your Highness? I’ve heard stories that you have been skipping Henry’s history lessons along with Kyungsoo’s language lessons?” Yixing also had been appointed to be his advisor and happened to be his literature tutor.

Yifan sighed internally and stared longingly over the top of the wall.

“Your Highness?” Yixing’s melodious voice floated into his dreams of being free and dashed them to shreds.

Yifan turned away from the wall and towards his best friend who looked adorable in the white shirt and white pants he had decided to wear.

“Shall we be off?” Yixing cocked his head and Yifan could only swallow his protests and follow quietly along to his language lesson with Kyungsoo.

 

-

 

“Wu Yifan!” Yixing stormed into Yifan’s chambers where he had been hiding out in order to escape from having to attend Henry’s history lesson. “Where is that idiot?” Yixing muttered to himself as he slammed the doors shut behind him.

Yifan covered his mouth and tried to shrink smaller into the closet. _Why oh why did they have to send Yixing?_ He mourned as he squashed himself deeper into the closet. Yixing was the best at hide and seek when they were little and could sniff him out like a dog. He whimpered softly at the thought of Yixing finding him because the advisor could be incredibly ruthless when it came to his lessons.

The prince held his breath when he heard footsteps passing by his closet. The footsteps paused and Yifan’s heart nearly stopped but he heaved a sigh of relief when they continued on and grew fainter. He had barely just blown out a sigh of relief when the closet door was yanked open, a shaft of light hitting him in the eye and then he was aware of a burning hot pain on his ear.

“Ow ow ow!” Yifan yelped as Yixing wrenched him to his feet by the ear.

“Why were you not in history?” Yixing asked very calmly.

The prince whimpered and grasped at his ear. “Let go and I’ll answer you.”

Yixing’s eyes narrowed and he twisted his hand, making Yifan howl in pain.

“I’m sorry! Sorry sorry sorry!” Yifan practically sobbed.

Yixing released him, grabbing him by the collar instead. “Lucky for you, you didn’t miss much because Henry is about to have a replacement class for you, aren’t you lucky Your Highness?”

The prince cowered as he was dragged out of his room and towards the classrooms by an irate advisor.

 


	3. Chapter 2

The yearling peeked out from between the bushes, watching quietly as the men packed up the remnants of their lunches. One of the men lifted his head when the fawn moved slightly and rustled the leaves on the bushes. He looked straight at the patch of greenery where the yearling was hidden and frowned when he saw a flash of colour. The yearling quivered where he stood, fearful that he had been caught but the man turned away, deciding that it must have been a trick of light.

The little deer barely above a year old darted away into the depths of the woods as the men mounted their horses, determined to get away before the hounds could catch a whiff of his scent. Shinwoo had warned him against going close to any sort of human encampment because any man who hunted in the forest would always bring a hound.

The little deer left the forest, heading for the ruins of Castle Adfeilion which stood on a cliff overlooking the seas. He gambolled across the moors on gangly limbs, stopping occasionally to nibble the sweet grass and taste the flowers. The sun was setting out across the sea and the yearling could see the big ball of fire sinking into the ocean. He hurried along the pathway worn into the cliff and stretched his neck out as the sun flared its last rays outwards and painted the sky in splashes of fiery oranges and reds.

“Xiao Lu! Come in now!”

The yearling bleated in answer, still staring in the direction of the horizon. He trotted a little closer to the edge of the pathway and bleated sadly as the last of the sun was dragged beneath the sea and the world faded into darkness.

“Xiao Lu.” The silhouette of a man appeared in the open door of the castle and the yearling ambled towards him.

“I worry about you so much, little one.” Shinwoo petted the little fawn, rubbing his head and scratching his chin as the yearling practically vibrated with delight at the attention. “Come now, young prince. We must have dinner.”

The fawn followed the man into the dining hall, where a meagre amount of food had been laid out. Luhan nibbled at the cabbage leaves that Shinwoo had given him uninterestedly. He was not hungry after having eaten his fill out on the moors in the day.

“Not hungry?” Shinwoo smiled at the fawn who ignored the cabbage and turned his eyes on the soup bowl Shinwoo had laid out for him. He lapped at the bowl with more enthusiasm than he had with the cabbage and Shinwoo had to stifle a smile. Deer loved salt and Luhan was no exception.

Luhan whined sadly as he licked the last drops of soup from the bowl and looked up at Shinwoo with big doe eyes. “Nope. No more.” Shinwoo had long grown immune to the yearling’s pleading tactics and moved the bowl away.

Luhan waited patiently until Shinwoo had finished his dinner before grabbing at his sleeve with his teeth. “Wait a moment, little one.” Shinwoo laughed as he cleared the plates. He knew exactly what Luhan wanted. It was sort of a ritual they did now after dinner.

 

Ever since Luhan had been able to talk, he had wanted to know about his heritage. Shinwoo told it to him, every little detail he had been told by his Duke about the fawn. The Duke visited occasionally and Luhan always enjoyed his company and his stories about Luhan's younger brother.

Luhan wished he had a chance to meet this brother of his but deep down, he knew it was not possible. According to Duke Kim, Yifan was always confined within the palace walls, because the king feared that the sorceress would return and the prince would suffer the same fate as the older brother he never knew he had.

“What do you want to read about today, Xiao Lu?” Shinwoo followed Luhan into the makeshift library. Duke Kim had been incredibly generous when Shinwoo mentioned that Luhan loved books, and he had brought many of them that had been gifts from Queen Lan Ling.

Luhan bounded over to one of the books they had left in a stack from the night before. He nudged the book with his nose and looked up at Shinwoo with doleful eyes.

“Again?” Shinwoo faked a sigh and picked up the book. “Once upon a time…”

Luhan’s ears pricked up and he curled up at the feet of Shinwoo’s chair as the familiar words of the story of the white doe washed over him.

Shinwoo read to the prince until the hour of midnight drew near and the light of the moon shone in through the window of the library.

As the hour drew close, Luhan stirred from his nap and screamed out in pain as the transformation began. The minute it took for midnight to pass was always the most dreaded moment. Luhan thrashed around on the floor, pain cutting him to the bone as the structure rearranged itself into a human form. True to Raven’s words, at the hour of midnight, Luhan was neither beast nor man but both as his body fought the pain of the transformation.

Shinwoo could only watch on with pain in his heart as the prince writhed in agony on the floor, his body contorting into human form. At last the minute was over and a very human and very naked prince lay on the floor, panting from the exertion. Shinwoo rose from his seat to bring the young prince clothes to wear, and after a moment of recovery, the prince was all ready to begin his studies.

The hours from midnight to dawn were Luhan’s favourite because it was the time he learnt. Luhan devoured books from the moment he knew how to read, each word patiently taught to him by Shinwoo. The prince was eager to gain knowledge about everything. It was as if he wished to learn everything there was to study before his day of death on his twenty fifth birthday.

Shinwoo watched fondly as the prince scribbled down a few characters and held it up for him to inspect. He had recently learnt how to write his name in Shinwoo’s language, having mastered how to write it in his own language two years ago when he had turned five. “Very well done, little prince.” Shinwoo smiled as the prince completed another writing exercise that had been given to him.

Luhan beamed in delight and reached for another piece of parchment. He worked hard like that all through the night until the time of his transformation came upon him again. Shinwoo brought him outside just as the sun struggled free from the sea’s clutches and spilled its first ray upon the world. Luhan wriggled free of his guardian's hold as the pain began. He was always afraid he would injure his caretaker from his thrashing if he stayed within his arms and thus always chose to suffer the pain alone. The pain was just as bad as the night before, flaring from his head as his bone structure elongated and his neck stretched out, longer than any human’s neck. He collapsed onto the ground as his limbs stretched out, mouth open in a silent scream, the pain too much for his mind to even process.

Shinwoo had to close his eyes so that he would not be tempted to reach out and hold the hurting prince in his arms. After one incident where Luhan had flailed too much that he had lashed out and kicked Shinwoo so hard that he left a hoof shaped scar on his chest, he had made Shinwoo swear not to touch him or even go close to him during his transformations.

Shinwoo knew the change was over the moment he felt a soft muzzle thrust at his belly playfully. He opened his eyes and smiled down tearfully at the little prince. The prince was so resilient even as a mere child that it hurt Shinwoo to think that such a beautiful being would not live past his twenty fifth birthday. The yearling nuzzled into Shinwoo’s touch and he knelt to press a kiss onto the yearling’s forehead.

Luhan tilted his head cutely, careful to avoid hitting Shinwoo with his first pair of antlers.

“Be careful out there, Xiao Lu.” Shinwoo whispered as the fawn pulled away.

Luhan nodded his head as the sun rose higher into the sky. The call of the forest pulled within him and he turned away, bounding down the pathway toward the Mofa forest where he spent most of his days.

 

The forest was wonderful and magical, home to many strange creatures that had been tainted by magic. Luhan never had to fear any of them however because he rarely encountered any that were dangerous to him. He got the most of his sleep in the forest under a particular glade of willow trees that always smelled strongly of lilies whenever the wind rustled through their leaves. He knew what lilies smelled like because they were his mother’s favourite flowers and the duke often brought a bouquet to him from his mother.

When he was not sleeping and dreaming of living in the palace across the moors, he was roaming the edges of the forest, where it led out to the open moors. He never dared to venture out too far across because the moors were flat out and you could see for miles on each side. If he could see hunting parties and hounds, it was very likely that they could see him as well. The grass on the moors was sweeter than the forest grass thus his reason for crossing the boundaries of the forest.

Luhan loved the openness of the moors as much as he feared it because he felt almost free whenever he did go out to nibble the sweet grass. Close by the forest, there was a meadow he loved to visit because of the flowers that littered the open space. Purple violets that tasted so sweet on his tongue and little buttercups that he loved to eat whenever he got bored of grass. There were rabbit holes in the meadow as well, and sometimes he would poke his inquisitive little nose down some of them to say hello to the bunnies.

All in all, life hidden behind the forest and in an abandoned castle was not terrible but Luhan wanted more. More people to interact with that is.

 

It would be a lonely life had he not had Shinwoo by his side every night, holding him whenever the unfairness of his life hit him too hard. As it was, he had to endure every day struggling to avoid people he saw in the forest in case he was shot.

Luhan craved to meet other people. He desperately wanted to have a conversation with someone other than Shinwoo, although the older man was not bad company. Whenever he was alone and away from the abandoned castle, he often thought about his younger brother and what he looked like. Duke Junseo had brought a portrait once during one of his visits, commissioned by the king after he had learnt of Luhan’s longing to learn his brother’s face. Luhan remembered tracing his fingers along the soft curves of his brother’s painted face and wondering who the young boy who stood so close to him was.

He often marveled at how different their dressings were. Living out across the moors and a forest in an abandoned castle meant no need for fancy clothing and from the small amount of clothes the young prince wore for a short period of time each day, he could see a massive difference in the quality of the materials used to make their clothes. Even in the painting, the navy blue of his brother's blazer gleamed and he wondered if it was silk. _What does silk feel like?_ He remembered rubbing his own clothes between his fingers, feeling the coarseness of the wool chafe against his skin and wondering if silk felt the same way as well. The young man who stood close to his brother wore white and the material looked different from the ones his brother wore. Again, Luhan wondered if they were soft because the oil painter had made the material of the jacket look impossibly comfortable to wear.

When he grew older, Duke Junseo had brought him a family portrait that had been recently painted. The portrait had been simple, painted in the regents’ bed chambers. It was the first time the young prince had ever seen his father's face. Looking at the man in the portrait, Luhan felt as if he could forgive his father for the mistake he'd made, the one that had cost Luhan his humanity. _The King has a kind face, if tinged with sadness that was difficult to see._ Luhan thought, trailing a finger to feel the smoothness of the oil paint beneath his fingers.

 

“Does my father even care that he caused this to happen to me?!” He had cried out once when the unfairness of his life had seeped deep into his bones and the pain of a particularly difficult transformation had brought out the tears and frustration.

Shinwoo had held him in his arms and told him: “Your father regrets every moment what his actions have caused. He lives with that guilt every day. He loves you deeply, from the moment you were born.”

Seeing his mother’s face for the first time had brought tears to his eyes. Once again, another portrait commissioned of his younger brother revealed the same young boy, this time much leaner, older and prettier. Luhan had asked about him and Duke Junseo told him that the boy was his brother’s closest friend and the son of the royal healer. The young prince listened with great interest and longing in his heart whenever the duke described their shenanigans together. Luhan sighed wistfully when he remembered a particular incident that Duke Junseo had told him, laughter painted all over his face.

 

The incident happened when the prince had decided that it was a great day for pranks involving freezing cold water in the dead of winter. It was one of those days where Yixing was not actually glued to his side and Yifan had planned a prank on his language teacher, Kyungsoo. He had hidden in a passageway that he knew Kyungsoo would pass through and had a bucket of cold water at the ready. He'd heard footsteps and voices, and assuming that it was Kyungsoo, he had thrown the bucket of ice water all over the unfortunate man. He had peeked out of his hiding place and lo and behold, it was not Kyungsoo he had drenched but his best friend who has chosen to wear all white that day.

 

The Duke had been present along with the palace’s healer who was Yixing’s father and they both had fought to contain the laughter that threatened to burst out of them at the sight of Yixing, drenched to the bone in icy cold water and his clothes soaked through and transparent.  He had been shivering violently but even then he had the strength to haul Yifan out of his hiding place by the ear very very calmly. The serenity on his face while he watched his best friend howl in pain was what put his father and the Duke over the edge. Yifan was punished later again, not by his parents but by Yixing himself who had been the one to draw his bath water and had filled his tub with water so cold that it had condensation rising off it. Only Yixing saw Yifan's reaction that day, but everyone had heard the screaming and it was safe to say that Yifan had laid off on the cold water pranks for a while since then.

The descriptions of Yifan’s pranks and shenanigans with Yixing often made Luhan wonder what they would have done together had he not been cursed by his father’s actions. Would they have played pranks on the palace staff and studied together? He envied his brother because he had Yixing, a best friend to play and run around with. “My brother is so lucky.” he murmured wistfully once after the Duke had told him about Yixing nursing the prince back to health after he had fallen ill due to his ignoring of Yixing’s warnings not to ride in the rain.

 

The yearling often thought about what he would do if he met his brother, an unlikely thing but it was nice to dream about. He wanted to take his brother into the forest and show him the willow trees that smelled like lilies, take him to a glade of bushes that bore the sweetest berries Luhan had ever tasted and let him listen to the sound the stream made as it ran through a particular part of the forest. It was a wonderful thing to think about and it kept Luhan from feeling too sorry about himself.

He often dreamed too, about running through a palace with his brother playing catch in human form, hearing Yifan’s laughter and planning pranks on their tutors. It was painful in a way to think about how his life could have turned out if he had not been struck by the curse. He could have had so much more than this lonely life, hidden away across the moors, behind a forest nobody crossed. He could have had a vibrant childhood full of laughter, colour and companionship. These thoughts plagued him often and he pushed them away every time as soon as they came.

Luhan pondered about his family as he ran through the forest, the longing to know them, to live with them, strong in his chest. The fawn was too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice a raven flying close above his head with its beady black eyes riveted on the golden horns of the yearling beneath it.


	4. Chapter 3

Raven alighted upon a branch just above the yearling’s head, watching him closely as he drank from the stream that ran through the forest. He was growing well, the sunlight shining through the leaves of the forest causing the antlers atop his head to glimmer ever so slightly. He was the epitome of perfection. Raven sighed as he trotted away towards a clearing with sweet green grass to nibble on. All the parts of her plan were falling into place and all she needed now was for the pesky little brother to find his way out of the castle and into the forest. His little shadow would not be far behind, she was sure, and when they finally met, the pieces of her puzzle would finally fit together and she would get her hands on the one thing she wanted most.

 

“Absolutely not!” Yi Chen exploded, hands gripping the arms of his throne so hard that his knuckles turned white.

Yifan’s eyes darkened. “But why not, Father? I’m turning twenty one this year! Yixing’s been allowed ever since he turned twelve! I’ve been so patient, Father. Please, I am truly so tired of everything in the castle. If I am to be king one day, should I not be out there interacting with the people? Surely, one visit to the marketplace would not hurt?” Yifan pleaded, the rejection sitting heavy in his heart.

“No. There is no way I am allowing you out of the gates. Who knows what could happen beyond the confines of the palace? No, Yifan. I cannot lose you. You are my son and my only heir.” Yi Chen was adamant, refusing to budge to his son’s pleas.

Yifan sucked in a breath, “But…”

“No buts. You are dismissed. Yixing, watch him please. Don’t let him get into trouble.”

Yifan bit his lip harshly and stormed out of the room.

Yixing bowed, an apologetic expression on his face before he hurried out of the throne room after the prince.

 

“Perhaps you should reconsider, Chen. He speaks the truth after all.” Lan Ling rested a hand on her husband’s arm.

Yi Chen raised his head to look at his wife. “I cannot allow it, I cannot. What if she comes for him? What if we cannot protect him as well? Lan Ling, I cannot lose another son to this woman. The people cannot lose a leader and we cannot afford to lose an heir.”

Lan Ling sighed softly. “But we cannot protect him forever. He must learn to live and stand on his own, something his advisor seems to not take heed of given how he is always by his side. Perhaps if we allowed him on hunts with you? There will be plenty of men to watch over him and he does so love archery.”

“The forest is unsafe.” The king wrung his fingers, memories of the past incident with the sorceress clouding his mind once again, “You know what happened the last time.”

“Not if he isn’t allowed to wander off," Lan Ling said. "Yixing will ensure that.”

The king’s heart softened. He after all, only wished happiness for his child. If what it took for Yifan to be happy was to allow him onto their hunts, then so be it. Still, he was hesitant. “Perhaps. I will think about it. It will be a treat for him.”

Lan Ling smiled. “It would make him so happy.”

 

“You know your father would never do something without good reason, don’t you?” Yixing said softly when he caught up with the irate prince.

“Oh, of course, you would take his side. You’re allowed to go out. You’re not the one who’s had to spend all his life within these walls! Of course you wouldn’t understand, Yixing. You never do.” Yifan snarled furiously at his best friend as they walked down the hallway.

“Don’t lash out at me, Your Highness. I’m not the one who forbids you to leave the castle.” Yixing said evenly, reaching out to touch his best friend’s arm.

Yifan shot him a furious look and yanked his arms away. “I’m going to find Zitao.” He snapped and turned away. “And don’t follow me.” He added when Yixing walked after him.

“I’m your advisor. Following you is my job.” Yixing muttered, slightly annoyed now by the prince’s attitude.

“Your presence is suffocating.” Yifan shot back, hurrying down the hallway, eager to escape his advisor.

Yixing froze, his footsteps slowing to a stop. “I see,” he said, his words icy.

Yifan turned to look at him, surprised. He'd never heard Yixing sound like that.

Yixing turned away, determined for Yifan to not see the hurt look on his face. “Go find Zitao. I’m sure he will be happy to see you.” He muttered and walked away, pain stinging his heart at Yifan’s words.

The prince stared at his retreating figure, dumbfounded

 

“He didn’t mean it.” Joonmyun soothed, running his fingers through Yixing’s light-brown hair. The hair had started to curl up again, Joonmyun noticed. 

“He did,” Yixing mumbled, his words muffled into Joonmyun’s lap. They often did this: Joonmyun would be reading and Yixing would run to him, Yifan having dismissed him in anger. The advisor would kneel by Joonmyun’s chair and seek comfort from his friend.

“Talk to him. I’m sure he will apologise.” Joonmyun massaged Yixing’s scalp tenderly and the dark-haired boy lifted his head to look at him. He had been crying, Joonmyun observed. His eyes were rimmed with red as if he had tried to conceal the tears.

“He doesn’t want to talk to me,” Yixing murmured, dropping his eyes to the floor.

Joonmyun was almost positive that it was not just Yifan’s angry dismissal that Yixing was upset about. Lately, the prince had been spending a lot of his free time on the archery range with Zitao, and Yixing had almost always been left out because he could not shoot as well as the other two. Yifan’s tutoring sessions while they were children had paid off. Yixing could finally hit the bullseye on the target but he was still nowhere near as good as Zitao, who could shoot bullseyes on horseback, a feat that Yifan admired greatly. “That’s not true and you know that. He will always talk to you. You’re his best friend.” Joonmyun tucked a lock of stray hair behind Yixing’s ear and smiled down at his friend.

“Not anymore, it seems. I’ve been replaced,” Yixing mumbled, plonking his head back into Joonmyun’s lap.

Before Joonmyun could reply, the sounds of voices were heard behind the library door which swung open to reveal Yifan happily chatting with Zitao at his side. He took one look at their positions, Yixing kneeling by Joonmyun’s chair, face in his lap and his eyes glittered. “Sorry if we disturbed,” Yifan muttered and drew back, ushering Zitao out before shutting the door firmly behind him.

Joonmyun stared at the door, speechless. “Wait!” He shoved Yixing off his lap and headed after Yifan. “It wasn’t what it looked like!” He gasped, racing after the prince and grabbing his arm.

Yifan shook him off with a smirk. “Sure it wasn’t. I totally did not see Yixing with his face on your crotch.” He turned away and offered his arm to Zitao. Zitao smirked at Joonymun and took the offered arm. “Come Taozi, let’s leave the lovebirds alone.”

“What was that about? My head hurts now.” Yixing grumbled, coming up behind him.

Joonmyun turned to him, a crestfallen look on his face. “Yifan thinks we’re together.”

“And it’s such a bad idea to you.” Yixing deadpanned before sighing. “Don’t worry about it, Joon. I’ll explain it to him if it bothers you.”

“No it’s not that. I just don’t want… ah… that is… don’t...” Joonmyun stammered, looking at Yixing’s face. Yixing raised his eyebrows. “I don’t want Kyungsoo to get the wrong idea if Yifan decides to spread the rumour!” Joonmyun blurted before he could stop himself.

Yixing’s eyebrows practically disappeared into his hair. “You like Kyungsoo?” His mouth dropped open.

Joonmyun ducked his head and flushed. “Yeah…yeah. Something like that.”

“This is gold! I can’t wait to tell Yifan!” Yixing crowed at the top of his lungs, dancing out of Joonmyun’s reach when his friend frantically tried to grab him. “I’m telling him right now!” Yixing cheered as he broke into a sprint after his best friend.

“No! Yixing, wait!” Joonmyun gasped, racing after his friend.

Yixing laughed, his earlier worries forgotten at the discovery of Joonmyun’s newfound crush. “Yifan! Yifan wait up! Yifan you’ll never believe what I just found out!” He ran around the corner, Joonmyun chasing after him, panic written all over his face.

“Well, I’m glad you guys are having fun.” An amused voice echoed just as Joonmyun rounded the corner and pounced on Yixing, tackling the advisor to the ground just as he had grabbed Yifan’s arm, pulling Zitao onto the ground with them as well. The four ended up in a pile on the floor.

Yixing groaned, shoving at Joonmyun. He struggled out from the bottom of the pile and looked up at the man who was watching them with an amused smile on his face. “Papa!”

Zhang Cheng smiled down at his son, glad to see him playing again. Yixing became serious and quiet after his appointment as the prince’s advisor, something that Zhang Cheng had hoped would change because he did not want his son to grow up too fast. He held out a hand and Yixing grabbed hold of it, helping him to his feet.

“Thank you Papa.” Yixing dimpled at his father.

It made Zhang Cheng smile and reach out a hand to pat his son’s cheek.

“What the hell, Yixing?” Yifan grimaced as Zitao hauled him to his feet. “Why did you do that for?”

Yixing’s smile slipped and Zhang Cheng watched with disappointment as the childishness melted off his son’s face and he became the serious Yixing again. “I’m sorry. I only wanted to tell you something, Your Highness.”

Joonmyun bit back a sigh of relief but like Yixing’s father, he was disappointed to see the advisor’s playfulness gone.

Yifan shot him a look that had Yixing shrinking away into the wall before spinning around with Zitao glued to his side.

“You grow up too fast, Little Star.” Zhang Cheng brushed a lock of Yixing’s hair away from his face and the boy faltered in his seriousness, leaning into his father’s touch.

“Someone has to.” Yixing answered as he allowed his father to straighten his jacket for him. “Speaking of growing up, how’s the research going?”

 

Zhang Cheng had never stopped searching for a cure for the curse that had plagued the older prince and had engaged Yixing in the search the moment the boy had shown any interest in old magic and history. Yixing had in turn dragged Joonmyun into the research because the older boy was more interested in the subject unlike Yifan who took every chance he could to skip history class. Zhang Cheng had made both boys swear to keep the subject a secret, especially from Yifan. Even though Yixing was usually very adverse against the idea of keeping something so important from his best friend, he understood that allowing the prince to know the truth was basically shining a beacon for Raven to come for another attack. Yifan, along with the rest of the kingdom’s occupants had basically grown up with the idea that there had been another prince before Yifan named Luhan, but he had died tragically because of crib death.

“I haven’t found much and I haven’t had the time to look too much either,” Yixing admitted, looking guilty.

Zhang Cheng smiled at his son. “Sometimes I forget that you have a job to do, Yixing. It’s alright. Just do your best. I’m sure Joonmyun will help you.”

“You think they will make us shoot today?” Joonmyun questioned as he and Yixing stepped into the archery range. Like Yixing, Joonmyun much preferred his books to a weapon but had proven himself to be a worthy opponent with a sword in hand.

“If Zitao has his way, we will. He will stop at nothing to demoralise me in front of Yifan.” Yixing sighed, thoughts of the younger more skilled boy piercing through his mind.

“Zitao’s a good kid,” Joonmyun argued, as they approached where Yifan and Zitao were setting up the practice targets.

“Sure, but he worships the ground Yifan walks on,” Yixing muttered, annoyed.

“And that bothers you because?” Joonmyun raised his eyebrows as they stood at the side of the range, watching the prince practice.

“Yifan’s ego doesn’t need any more inflating.” Yixing muttered, eyes focusing on the crown prince’s stance.

Yifan’s brows were furrowed in concentration as he stared at the target board in front of him. He notched an arrow to the string and pulled the bowstring back, increasing tension. The bowstring hummed as he let the arrow fly, burying its tip dead center onto the target board.

“Let’s try something else.” Zitao called. He brought out a human mannequin with targets marked onto the fatal areas. “Make this fast. I’ll call out the places and you have to shoot.”

Yifan nodded as he raised his bow again, ignoring Yixing and Joonmyun’s presence.

“Chest!”

The arrow flew straight, sinking into the center of the red ‘X’.

“Head!”

Again the arrow hit dead center.

"Throat!”

This time the arrow flew wide, sinking into the side of the ‘X’ instead of the center.

“Damn it! It’s always the throat I miss.” Yifan sighed as he went to retrieve the arrow.

Unable to help himself, Yixing called out. “It’s the way you’re holding the bow! If you angled it slightly away, it will hit the center.”

Yifan turned to look at him, surprised but he nodded and lifted the bow to try again. This time, the arrow struck the target in the center perfectly.

“You seem to know archery well Yixing ge. Why don’t you come down and shoot a few rounds?” Zitao’s tone was mocking.

Yixing was once again reminded of that one childhood lesson where he had misaimed the arrow so badly, he nearly maimed Captain Huang who had been standing a little too close to the target. “I don’t…”

Yifan cut in, a smirk on his face. “He’s right. I haven’t seen you shoot in forever. What are you scared of?”

Anger bubbled beneath Yixing’s calm demeanour as he gazed at Zitao’s smug face and he snapped. “Who says I’m scared?” he retorted, stepping into the shooting range.

Yifan looked surprised. “Xing, I was kidding. You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Just give me the damned bow.” Yixing glared at him and snatched the bow from his hand.

“But…” Yifan’s protests were quickly shut off by Zitao.

“Just save it, Fan. He’s got it in his mind that he’s a great archer, so let’s see.” Zitao put his hand upon Yifan’s arm and pulled him out of the range.

The sight of Zitao’s hand so casually resting on Yifan’s arm made Yixing’s gut boil with inexplicable fury and he turned to the target board, seething.

Joonmyun stood at the side, watching worriedly. Yixing was not a rash person. His patience was practically endless, particularly when it came to Yifan. To see him this worked up over a small thing was worrying.

Yixing stared at the red paint splashed crudely over the mannequin and imagined it as Zitao. He lifted his bow and notched an arrow to the bow string. The range grew silent as the tension mounted.

“Get on with it.” Zitao whispered harshly under his breath and in the dead silence of the archery range, it was heard where Yixing stood.

Yixing gritted his teeth and released the bowstring. The arrow stabbed so deep into the mannequin that its tip nearly pierced right through it.

“Whoa. You’ve been practicing.” Yifan sounded proud and Yixing tried to stifle a smile.

“That’s nothing. Do the target boards,” Zitao called out.

Annoyance flashed across Yixing’s delicate features and he moved aside, in front of the bright, obnoxiously red target board.

Zitao walked into the range and pushed the target back. “Do it farther.” He smirked at Yixing before returning to his place at Yifan’s side.

“Zitao…” Yifan started but Yixing cut him off. “I can do it.” He sounded so determined that the prince closed his mouth.

Yixing notched an arrow and stared at the center of the target so hard, you would think it would have burned a hole through it. Biting his lip, he released the arrow. The arrow whistled sharply through the air and buried its head into the target, just a hair’s breadth from the bull’s eye.

“Too bad.” Zitao grinned at the crestfallen look on Yixing’s face.

The advisor glared at him. “I’ll do it again.”

“You’ve already had your chance and failed,” Zitao retorted but stayed where he was, the thought of seeing the always perfect advisor fail again too tempting to ignore.

Yixing tried, again and again but he was always just that little bit off. He could hear Zitao’s snickers getting louder as he notched the last arrow in his quiver. The bow string was already taut in his hand when out of the corner of his eye, he could see Zitao leaning into Yifan to whisper something into his ear. Irrational anger swept through him and he pulled the bowstring harder than he intended to.

 

_Snap!_

 

He barely felt the pain when the string snapped across his hand and wrist, hard enough to draw blood.

“Xing!” Yifan was already halfway across the range when Yixing became aware of the stinging pain in his hand. The prince grabbed his hand roughly and examined it, concern written all over his handsome face. Crimson red blood was trickling from the cuts caused by the string.

“It’s just a bit of blood,” Zitao muttered as he wandered over to them.

Yifan had pulled out his handkerchief and wrapped it around Yixing’s bleeding hand. “He has haemophilia, you idiot. His blood cannot clot properly and he could bleed to death!” Yifan snapped at Zitao and applied pressure on Yixing’s hand.

Yixing winced but allowed his best friend to deal with the cut.

Joonmyun took the bow from him and asked. “Should I get your father?”

“There is no need…” Yixing replied just above a whisper.

“Pack away the bow, I will take him,” Yifan answered roughly. The handkerchief was red with blood and the bleeding was showing no signs of stopping.

“I will be fine…” Yixing argued weakly, eyes slowly fluttering shut as Yifan hustled him past Zitao and towards the infirmary.


	5. Chapter 4

“You need to be more careful, Little Star,” Zhang Cheng reprimanded gently as he wrapped a bandage around his son’s wrist. Yixing hung his head low as his father tucked the ends of the cloth in and patted his wrist. “All done. Dare I even ask what happened for you to snap a bowstring like that?”

“It was nothing. I just… overlooked my strength.” Yixing flushed and turned away from his father’s questioning gaze.

“Well, in that case.” Zhang Cheng reached out to pat Yifan on the shoulder, only to realize that the boy had grown much much taller than him and patted him on the back instead. “Thanks for taking care of him, Yifan.”

Yifan bowed his head respectfully. “It is no problem Doctor Zhang.”

“Now the two of you should be off. If I recall correctly, Xing, your lesson begins soon.” Zhang Cheng smiled when Yifan groaned and Yixing rose to his feet.

“Thanks a lot Doctor Zhang,” Yifan muttered as Yixing tugged him out of the infirmary.

“You should take a break from teaching. Your hand’s injured,” Yifan pleaded with his best puppy eyes as Yixing lead him towards the classroom.

Yixing smirked. “What and miss a chance at educating you on the wonders of literature? I think not, Your Highness.” He pushed open the door to see Joonmyun already settled at a table, textbooks open.

“You’re the only one who calls me that,” Yifan grumbled as he settled at the table next to Joonmyun and opened his textbook.

“How is your hand?” Joonmyun called out as he watched Yixing reach for his very thick and heavy textbook.

“It’ll be fine.” Yixing winced as he fumbled under the weight of his book. The two students watched with amusement as the advisor struggled to put his book on the table.

“Oh come on.” Finally unable to take it, Yifan snatched the book from his best friend and set it on the table for him. “You’ll rip your stitches like that,” he snapped and Yixing looked taken aback.

“Thank you,” Yixing mumbled as he flipped open the book. Joonmyun raised his eyebrows but did not deign to comment as Yixing began the lesson. “The White Doe is a classic piece of literature involving a princess, sorcery and love. It is written…”

 

“All the literature you’ve shown us lately has had a lot to do with enchantment and animals. Are you going through a phase? Henry is going through a magic phase too and honestly, I don’t think I could handle it if the two of you assigned us similar pieces of work,” Yifan muttered as he took Yixing’s textbook from him despite the boy’s protests.

“Have I? I haven’t noticed.” Yixing grinned sheepishly. He had been studying the elder prince’s curse lately with Joonmyun and never noticed that his obsession had translated into his teachings.

“Henry’s been talking a lot about the Draiochtae," Yifan said. "He believes that there are still Draiochtae living within our borders and that the king should permit them to live among us.”

Yixing laughed. “Henry should be careful of what he says. Magic is not something to mess around with. Your bloodline is very against the thought of magic users living among us.”

Once the lesson was done, Yifan smiled fondly at his best friend as they walked towards Yixing’s chambers to drop off his books. “Listen, Xing. I’m sorry… About today,” he said seriously as the double doors swung shut behind them. He set the books onto a desk.

Yixing faced him and raised his eyebrows. When Yifan didn’t immediately say anything, he turned to open his wardrobe.

“I didn’t mean to lash out at you," Yifan said suddenly. "I was just frustrated because I’m tired of this place.”

“I know you are," Yixing said as he pulled his dinner clothes out. "And I’m sorry I’ve never tried to understand you, Your Highness.”

“I hate that title." Yifan made a face. "Everyone calls me by name, so why should you be any different?”

Yixing smiled quietly behind the clothes he was holding up. “You are still the crown prince and should be addressed so.”

Yifan rolled his eyes. “Wear the white. You always look like an angel in white.”

Yixing blinked up at his best friend in surprise.

Taking the shirt from him, Yifan set it down and reached for a cream coloured undershirt and white blazer. “Here, wear this with the white pants. God, you’re so slow sometimes.” He thrust the clothes into his friend’s face.

Yixing took the hangers from him with a slightly dazed look on his face.

“Wake up little star. Joonmyun’s father is coming for dinner so we need to get ready.” Yifan waved an abnormally large hand in front of Yixing’s face, startling him so much that he jumped backwards and would have fallen into the open door of the wardrobe if Yifan had not wrapped his arm around his waist to steady him.

Yixing stared up into Yifan’s concerned eyes and shuddered when he felt an electric current travel through him. He was suddenly very aware of their close proximity.  Yifan’s eyes flickered and lingered on his lips for a moment before the doors of Yixing’s room slammed loudly and the moment was broken.

“Yifan! Your bath is ready!” The pair jumped apart and Yixing stumbled a little just as a maid appeared in their line of sight. She glanced between the two boys with a hint of mischief on her face. “Did I interrupt something?”

Yifan pulled his gaze from Yixing’s face and smiled sweetly at the maid. “No, Yixing was just being his usual clumsy self.”

The tension in Yixing’s body disappeared, leaving a tingle of disappointment that he ignored. “And His Highness was just being his usual nosy self,” he retorted, turning to shut the doors of his wardrobe.

The maid shook her head at the two of them and turned to leave. “Well Yifan, your bath is waiting. Hurry before it gets cold.”

Yifan gave Yixing one last glance before following the maid out. “Your Highness!” Yixing called out before he could stop himself. Yifan paused by the door, turning his head to look at his best friend. “You should wear that navy blue blazer. It complements your hair well.”

Yifan’s face broke into a smile and he laughed as he exited the room.

Yixing looked down at the clothes in his hands and sighed; it was time for formalities with the royal family.

 

 

“Yifan, straighten your blazer please,” Lan Ling murmured to her son the moment he walked into the dining hall.

Yifan blushed and tried to shift his blazer around on his broad shoulders. Yixing stifled a smile and rose to his feet as Yifan approached. He reached out and tugged the navy blue material straight and Yifan sent him a grateful look as they took their seats.

“This thing itches,” Yifan whispered to his best friend as the servants appeared to clear their plates and bring in the soup.

Yixing quirked a corner of his lips up as he reached for his napkin. “You look good in it.”

Yifan smoothed his napkin over his lap as he tried to subtly observe Yixing out of the corner of his eye. His best friend had taken his advice and put on the all-white attire he had chosen for him. The light colour of his clothes accentuated the flecks of green in his hazel eyes and made his hair seem more red than brown. Yifan thought he looked stunning.

“You’re staring.” Joonmyun nudged him hard.

Yifan jerked out of his stupor. He flushed and looked back down at the napkin across his lap. He smoothed out invisible wrinkles as they waited for the king to arrive from greeting Duke Junseo.

Joonmyun was quivering with excitement as his father had been away on business for nearly three months and he had missed him dearly. The doors of the dining hall opened and he rose to his feet, clapping his hands to his mouth in excitement. “Papa!”

Duke Junseo smiled when his son flew into his arms, unable to contain his delight.

“You’re back.” Joonmyun buried his face into his father’s shoulder, trembling.

“My son.” Junseo hugged his son close before pulling away to look at him.

“You look so well Joonmyun.” He patted his son’s cheek gently and turned to smile at the rest of the people seated at the dining hall. “Come, let’s not keep them waiting.”

Joonmyun clung to his father as they settled into their seats.

Yi Chen smiled warmly at his old friend as he took his seat and picked up his spoon. “Oh, before I forget. Yifan, how would you like to join us on our hunt tomorrow? Junseo is eager to head into the forest and you have never been on any hunt with us. Your mother has convinced me that it would be wise for you join us.” Yi Chen smiled as his son’s eyes grew wide.

“Really? I would love to Father!” Yifan could barely contain his excitement and beside him, Yixing smiled indulgently.

“Of course, you must promise to always stay with us and not wander off on your own. Yixing will come with us and Joonmyun too so that there will always be someone to keep an eye on you.”

Yixing’s smile slid off his face immediately. Yi Chen noticed and turned a questioning gaze towards him. “You do not wish to join us Yixing? I should think you would enjoy this.”

Yixing cleared his throat uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond without seeming rude. The king loved to hunt and even the predicament with the eldest prince had not dampened the king’s enthusiasm for the sport. He no longer hunted hart however, fearful that he might be the one to shoot the fatal arrow that will end his son’s life. Yixing on the other hand abhorred hunting. He thought that hunting animals for sport was an abomination and the fact that the animals were helpless to fight back further fuelled his hatred for the sport. How was he to tell the king that he could not stand for the hunting of innocent animals?

Luckily, Yifan sensed his friend’s growing desperation and rushed to his aid. “Father, Yixing has injured his hand in archery today. I do not believe he is fit enough to handle a bow so soon.”

Yi Chen raised his eyebrows. “But you will still ride with us, I hope? I shall say now that there is no one I have greater trust in than you in not allowing my son to wander off on his own.”

Yifan scowled.

Yixing flushed. “Of course Your Majesty. As you wish.”

 

-

 

“Wake up, Your Highness. You’re going hunting today.” Standing at the foot of the bed, Yixing folded his arms across his chest as he glared at the motionless lump on the bed.

“Five more minutes…” Yifan muttered as he rolled over, tugging the blankets over his head.

“The hunt will leave without you and you will miss out on this chance to leave the palace.” Yixing sighed and reached out to tug on the covers. “Come on Your Highness!”

Yifan grunted and pulled back, yanking Yixing forward onto the bed.

“Oh!” Yixing gasped when he lost his balance and sprawled out on top of Yifan’s body.

“Stay,” Yifan mumbled and wrapped an arm around Yixing’s waist, a long leg around his thighs, holding him as if he was a stuffed animal.

Yixing flushed, his face going so hot that he felt as if smoke was coming out of his ears. He squirmed and finally jabbed an elbow hard into Yifan’s ribs.

“Ow! What was that for?!” Yifan yelped as he released Yixing, jerking backwards to shield his body.

Yixing climbed out of the bed, face still flaming. “Get up and get dressed. I’ve already drawn your bath.” He dropped his eyes from Yifan’s naked chest as he slid off the bed, grumbling.

Yifan stole a glance at Yixing’s face and stifled his laugh. Yixing always looked adorable whenever he got all blushy. Because of his pale complexion, his whole face and neck glowed red whenever he was embarrassed. “What shall I wear?” he asked as he followed Yixing out towards the bathroom.

“I’ve already taken out your breeches and that cotton sparring shirt you like. Is there anything I should change?” Yixing asked as he pushed out the door of the bathroom. The tub in the center of the room was producing perfumed steam that wafted through the air towards them.

“They’re fine. You always know what I like.” Yifan stepped towards the steaming tub as the maids in the room scurried out, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Yixing reached for a fluffy white towel and hung it up on a rack as Yifan removed his trousers. He turned his eyes away as the prince stepped naked into the tub.

Yifan groaned as he submerged himself in the water. “Oh, this feels good.”

Smiling, Yixing reached for a loofah and the rose scented soap. “We don’t have much time today.” He poured a liberal amount of liquid soap onto the loofah and soaked it in water before bringing it up to rub across the prince’s back.

“You should still bring a bow, just in case,” Yifan spoke, closing his eyes as his advisor scrubbed at his broad back with the loofah.

Yixing took his time spreading oil across the prince’s back before rubbing it into his golden skin. “I don’t intend to shoot anything today, Your Highness,” he argued as he rinsed off the loofah and picked up the towel. “Wash yourself, and hurry or they will leave without you. I have already asked Zitao to prepare your bow and arrows.”

“You spoke to Zitao?” Yifan raised his eyebrows as he stepped out of the tub.

Yixing handed him the towel. “Don’t sound so surprised. I am actually capable of holding a decent conversation with him.” Yixing smirked as he took Yifan’s towel and pointed to another rack. “Dress yourself.”

 

“Ah, you made it. I was starting to think that you did not wish to join us,” Yi Chen teased as his son came running into the courtyard with his advisor close behind.

“I would never!” Yifan declared, eyes shining as he took the reins of his Arab from the groom.

Yixing rolled his eyes as he mounted his own horse.

“Glad you could make it Yixing ge. I was thinking you would have backed out.” Zitao smirked from on top of his mount.

Yixing narrowed his eyes and turned his attention to his stirrups, adjusting the girth expertly. He may not be much of an archer but Yixing was an amazing horseman. He tightened the girth of his saddle and adjusted the length of his stirrups all atop of the horse. The horse, an Andalusian with an incredibly calm temperament, stood perfectly still as his rider shifted atop him.

“Your girth is too loose Zitao. Better tighten it before you fall off with the saddle,” Yixing sniped when Zitao gathered his reins. Zitao shifted in the saddle and scowled. He was right of course. Yixing watched with smug satisfaction when Zitao had to dismount just to tighten his girth.

Yifan tugged the girth strap tight and tucked it well around the straps before nudging his horse to stand beside Yixing. Joonmyun brought his horse up next to Yixing and the two of them shared a look of disdain when Yi Chen blew the hunting horn and the party of excited lords took off. Beside them, Yifan was positively shaking with excitement.

The great iron gates swung open and the herd of horses and hounds trotted past them. Yixing had to stifle a smile at the way Yifan looked all around him as they rode away from the palace. “There are two roads at the bottom of the hill. One of them leads into the town and the other away and out onto the open moors. The second road was built because a whole party of lords riding through the town causes too much trouble and noise which disrupt the routine of the townsfolk,” Yixing explained when Yifan looked questioningly towards the road they bypassed.

The road they travelled on was not so much a road but a track roughly stripped of grass and carelessly strewn with stones. The prince and his friends rode at the back of the party with only Zitao and one of Captain Huang’s best guards, Kim Jongin to watch them.

“The air seems so different out here,” Yifan commented as they left the track behind and the moors spread out ahead of them.

“It does seem much fresher doesn’t it?” Joonmyun agreed as he nudged his horse forward.

Yifan halted his horse for a moment to admire the open moors and his friends stopped with him. The king raised his hunting horn and blew hard. The note echoed through the air and the air thickened with anticipation.

“That horn is the signal that we begin to gallop,” Yixing called as he lengthened his reins and leaned forward.

“Lengthen your reins Joon!” Yifan kicked his horse forward and laughed in delight as the wind whipped through his hair and cloak.

Yixing smiled at the pure joy in Yifan’s laughter and urged his horse forward, nose to nose with his best friend. “Enjoying yourself?” he called as the thundering of horse hooves across the moors nearly swallowed his voice.

“Yeah!” Yifan cheered and yelped in indignation when Zitao’s horse pulled up alongside his own. “Care for a race?” he cried out, smile splitting across his face as he gathered his reins.

“You’re on!” Yixing laughed and leaned low over his horse’s withers, urging him on. The quiet Andalusian seemed to sense his rider’s delight and snorted, lengthening his strides to overtake Yifan’s fiery black Arab.

“Wait for me!” Joonmyun cried as he kicked his horse into action. The two guards followed closely behind as their charges raced across the moors behind the king’s hunting party.

 

-

 Luhan looked up from the sweet grass he was nibbling when he heard the high clear call of the hunting horn. He turned his head to look across the moors and sure enough, he saw a large party of men on horses and a pack of bloodhounds galloping across the moors towards the Mofa forest. He shook his head at the men before dropping his head back to graze on the sweet grass. 

He did not know that his younger brother was within the hunt or he would have shown a bit more interest in the hunting party. But through Fate’s spinning wheel, his life thread would very soon entwine with his brother’s in the most unusual way possible. For now, he was content to graze on the sweet grass and nibble the flowers on the moors.

 

 


	6. Chapter 5

“I win!” Yifan cheered as his horse slowed to a halt a few meters before the edge of the Mofa Forest. Behind him, his friends were catching their breaths.

Yixing dimpled at him, making his heart race as he reached a hand up to wipe at his sweaty brow. “Well done, Yifan.”

The crown prince practically glowed at the praise and use of his name.

“You guys are too fast!” Joonmyun panted as he deepened his seat and his horse slowed to a halt, sweat foaming its withers.

“We must hurry or they will leave us behind.” Jongin gasped as they caught up with them.

Yifan nudged his horse into a hurried trot as they entered the forest. The whistling wind seemed to die immediately the moment they stepped into the forest, covering them in eerie silence.

“Hurry along child!” One of the lords at the back of the party yelled out to the prince and his friends who were staring around them in awe.

“The forest is a dangerous place to wander off!” Another lord chimed in.

Yifan clicked his tongue and his horse trotted forward. His friends hurried close behind him. “Is it always this quiet in the forest?” he enquired, leaning forward to communicate with the man in front of him so as not to disturb the silence surrounding them.

The man laughed boisterously. “The forest is temperamental young man! It is the only place in the kingdom that contains traces of the magic that used to cloak our kingdom. Rumour has it that the draiochtae still live within its borders.”

Yifan frowned at the mention of the magical blood.

“Oh don't speak nonsense Minho. They have already died out. Don't frighten the boy with your silly notions.” Another lord joined their conversation, eyes narrowed.

“The prince is courageous. I'm sure he will not be frightened at the mere mention of magic. Besides how do you know they have died out, Key? How then do you explain the disappearance of the first born prince?” The man named Minho chuckled and nudged his horse closer to Yifan’s.

“The prince died of crib death! The regents announced it on the day of his christening,” Key retorted, colour seeming to drain from his face.

“So they say," Minho said. "How do you know they are not trying to conceal the truth? There was no body, and at the funeral, the coffin was sealed.”

Key’s expression turned serious. “Be silent Minho and watch your words. The King forbids the talk of magic. You will do well to remember that.” With that, the two lords nudged their horses away from the prince and towards the hunting party a little ways ahead of them.

Yifan’s brow crinkled as he tried to remember what Henry had told him about his older brother. He had heard of him before, the boy who would have inherited the throne but died of crib death the night before his christening. He had never given the story much thought, choosing to believe exactly as he was told. But he had never seen a portrait of his brother. The only thing he knew of him was his name, Luhan.

 

“What are you thinking so hard about, Your Highness?” Yixing said.

Yifan groaned, snapped out of his thought process. “I thought we were on first name basis already, Xing.”

The advisor smiled placatingly as he sidled up beside the prince. “Get used to it. When you are king, everyone would call you by your title.”

“Not if I asked them to call me by name.”

Yixing raised his eyebrows as he gathered his reins. “True.” He turned from the prince’s side and followed after the hunting party. “Come along now, we aren't to wander off on our own.”

“What do you know of my brother, Yixing?” Yifan asked as they rode along the trodden path. Ahead of them, Joonmyun was bantering with Zitao and Jongin, too far to hear their conversation.

Yixing raised his eyebrows, “Your brother?”

Yifan nodded. “Luhan.”

Yixing started, hands jerking at the reins. His horse snorted softly and he lowered his hands, reaching down to pat his shoulder gently, whispering apologies. “What of him?” he answered, schooling his face into a disinterested expression.

“I heard some lords talking about him just now. One of them suspects that my brother might still be alive.”

Yixing bit his lip, uneasiness pooling in his stomach. The first born prince was a sensitive subject and everyone in the palace knew that they should avoid the topic. “I doubt your parents would lie about their son’s death. Besides, it is not wise to speak of this out here. You don't know who might be listening.” He started to turned his horse away but Yifan blocked him.

“You know something, don't you?” Yifan whispered.

Yixing clicked his tongue and his horse moved into a trot. “No more than you do. I never knew you were so interested in history. Perhaps you should ask Henry or your parents.”

The crown prince frowned, unsatisfied with the answer he got from his best friend. They've never had secrets, Yixing and him. No matter how impersonal Yixing tried to act around him, it did not detract from the fact that they shared their childhood together and he knew him like the back of his hand. All his life he had taken the information about his brother like a pill to be swallowed, medicine to be taken without question but the lord’s words made him start to doubt. Could his brother be alive after all? So little was told to him about his brother and the topic was always quickly passed and was shrouded in mystery.

 

He was so deep in thought that he missed Yixing’s call until Zitao was right next to him, leg bumping into his as they rode alongside each other. “Is something the matter?” Zitao asked, ignoring Yixing's cry for them to hurry up.

Yifan glanced at Zitao and shook his head. “No nothing, just thinking about some stuff.”

“The hounds have scented something and you guys need to hurry up before we get left behind!” Jongin yelled as the horses in the front broke into a canter, following closely behind the bloodhounds.

 

-

 

Luhan raced through the undergrowth, his heart pounding. How could he have been so foolish? He had wandered too close to the hunting party without knowing and his scent had alerted the hounds. A branch snapped beneath his feet and he stumbled, sweat trickling off him. His antlers were in the way, catching on bushes and low branches as he ran. He could hear the hounds’ panting and the horse hooves thundering on the forest floor behind him and fear of being caught made him lengthen his stride, desperate to escape. He leaped over a small stream and sprinted deeper into the forest, hopeful that the men would not follow him through.

 Yi Chen sat atop his horse, excitement racing through him. His hounds were running in front of him, barking frantically. He had no idea what they had scented but he hoped it was good. He had always loved this, the thrill of the chase. Junseo was beside him, crouched over his horse as they thundered after the hounds. Faintly, at the back of Yi Chen's mind he remembered his son and wondered if he enjoyed this as much as he did. But as the barks of the bloodhounds grew louder and he looked up ahead of him, his blood ran cold when he saw it.

 

_A flash of gold._

 

Terror raced through him as the memories of that fateful hunt that had doomed his first son returned. He jerked back on his reins, vaguely aware of someone yelling, “HEEL!”

His horse snorted in annoyance and dug its heels in, obeying its rider’s wishes. Only when his stallion had halted and the entire party behind him had stopped that he realized that he had been the one shouting for the dogs to heel.

“Chen? Are you alright?” Junseo asked cautiously.

The King was trembling, fingers clenched so tight around the reins that his knuckles were white. The hunting party was tittering around him, wondering what had made the King call the hounds to stop.

Yi Chen stared ahead where the hounds had been chasing. He could still see the glint of gold though he was unsure if it was truly there or just a figment of his shattered memories.

“Father, is everything alright?” Yifan called from the back of the party, startling the King from his memories.

Yi Chen turned his horse around to face the party. “Everything’s fine. I just…thought I saw something.” He glanced back in the direction where he last saw the flash of gold. It was still there, wobbling slightly. “We should rest. I need a drink.”

Junseo drew his horse up next to his friend and looked at him hard. “What did you see?”

Yi Chen shook his head as the hunting party turned around so that they were at the tail of it. “I thought…I thought I saw my son.”

 

When the party had dismounted and settled down by a stream, Yi Chen sat by the flowing water and watched as Yixing dipped his water skin into the cool water before offering it to his son. Yifan took the water skin with a smile and slung his arm around his friend and they walked off. It hurt him to think that his first born would turn twenty-four that spring and they only had another year to find a cure to the dreaded curse.

“What are you thinking about Chen?” Junseo plopped down next to him, derailing him from his train of thought. He held out a thermos.

Yi Chen took a swig of the warm ale, desperate to wipe the face of his beloved son from his mind. “My son. He turns twenty-four this spring.”

Junseo sobered up, and capped the thermos. “You say you saw him?”

“It was a glint of gold. His antlers are gold. You've visited him. How has he been?” Yi Chen asked, growing eager by the second. Regrettably Yi Chen and his wife had never been able to visit their first born without drawing suspicion from the public and the crown prince.

“He looked well," Junseo said carefully. "Resigned to his fate.”

“And Shinwoo never mentioned the sight of any ravens in the area?” Yi Chen asked, hopefully to which Junseo shook his head.

“Did you know that Zhang Cheng roped my son and his to research the curse?” Junseo said.

Yi Chen raised his eyebrows. “And Yifan has no idea of course?”

Junseo grinned. “Surprisingly, Yixing has been able to keep a secret from his beloved.”

Yi Chen laughed. It was no secret around the palace the extent of Yixing’s admiration for the prince. All except for Yifan himself knew of the advisor’s unwavering love for the prince. “That boy is hopeless. Hopelessly in love that is.”

“Do you approve of it?” Junseo asked, curious of the King’s opinion.

“Yixing is the only one I would trust to keep him out of trouble, of course I approve," Yi Chen said. "It's just a matter of whether Yifan will take his head out of the sand to realize it.”

 

 

Yifan was happily eating his crackers when he saw it: the glint of gold. He rose to his feet, stuffing the last cracker into his mouth hastily.

Yixing was the only one who noticed. “Where are you going?” he asked, looking up from his book.

Yifan scoffed internally. Even in the depths of the forest, Yixing still had the ability to make it seem like a library. “Nowhere,” he said through a mouthful of cracker.

Shutting his book, Yixing got to his feet as well. “Don't try anything, Your Highness. You know you're not allowed to wander off on your own. If you did, your father would never allow you to come with him again.”

Yifan sighed. “I wasn't about to go anywhere, just a clearing over. Can you not see that?” He pointed to the direction of the gold.

Yixing bit his lip. He was pretty sure he knew what the gold meant and it was not good. “Well we are about to leave…”

“Father wouldn't mind if you came with me,” Yifan cut him off, looking eagerly at him.

“We shouldn't…” Yixing looked around. The guards were tending to the other lords and no one was looking in their direction.

“Come on, I just want a look.” Yifan wrapped a large hand around Yixing’s wrist and tugged him along. “Please, just a peek,” he whined, giving Yixing his best puppy eyes.

“Alright, but bring your knife.” Yixing gave in, although he felt as if he might regret it later.

“Where is Yifan going?” Junseo asked.

Yi Chen looked up from his drink to see his son leave the clearing they were resting in with Yixing tagging along behind.

Junseo shot him a look. “C’mon, we need to make sure he doesn't get in trouble.”

The two men hurried after the boys, careful to keep out of sight.

  

-

 

Luhan stood at the edge of the clearing breathing heavily. He had heard him. His father. He would have been torn to pieces by the pack of bloodhounds had the man not called them to heel. Perhaps his father had seen him?

Sweat poured off his coat and he slumped onto the soft ground, exhausted. He rested his head next to his foreleg and licked a cut he had gotten from a fallen branch. The gold of his antlers glinted in the streaks of sunlight streaming in between the gaps of the leaves overhead. He was so engaged in cleaning his wound that his keen ears did not pick up the sound of the bushes rustling nearby.

Yifan gaped at the sight in front of him. A beautiful stag with a coat the colour of Yifan’s eyes and the source of the glistening gold, his magnificent antlers, was lying on the forest floor, licking at his foreleg. Behind him, Yixing gasped.

The sound startled the stag and he jerked his head up, frightened eyes the colour of chocolate meeting Yifan’s amber ones. The stag struggled to his feet, terror written all over his muzzle.

Yifan reached for an arrow, transfixed. His eyes had started to cloud over with black.

“No!” Yixing cried out too late when he realized what Yifan meant to do, yanking at Yifan’s hand as he released his arrow. Distracted, Yifan’s bow swung away and his arrow flew wide.

 

_Twang!_

 

The stag screamed in pain when the arrow sank into his hind leg as he tried to break away.

“No!” Yifan startled when he heard the furious yell and a large hand shoved him to the ground.

The stag tried to run but his legs buckled and he went sprawling, bleating helplessly. Yixing was already making his way to the injured animal, crooning nonsense to keep him calm as he dropped down to the animal’s eye level. The stag kicked and thrashed as he tried to get up, panic evident in his chocolate eyes.

Yi Chen's eyes were full of fear as he pushed past his confused son to get to the stag.

Yifan made to follow after his father, confusion and leftover blood lust clouding his eyes. Duke Junseo grabbed him by the shoulder and held him back. He turned to the duke, looking slightly dazed.

“Yifan?” Junseo called gently, waving a hand in front of the prince’s eyes.

Yifan jerked and the darkness faded from his eyes. “I…I… What happened?” He blinked and his head exploded in pain. “Aargh!” He grabbed at his head and his knees buckled, the Duke barely managing to catch him in time.

 

Yixing laid a hand on the stag’s sweat soaked neck, humming softly to him. The stag seemed to realize that he meant him no harm and stilled, his sides still heaving with exertion. “It's okay. Relax, we won't hurt you,” Yixing whispered, breaking from his song to stroke the amber coat.

Yi Chen crouched by the stag’s side, hardly believing what he was seeing. Crimson red blood dripped from the arrow wound and pooled beneath the stag’s body. He reached out to touch the magnificent animal but the stag flinched away, fear filling his eyes.

“Shh. He won't hurt you. It's okay,” Yixing hushed the whimpering cries of the stag and to Yi Chen’s surprise, he laid his cheek upon Yixing’s outstretched hand. “Good boy. Good boy,” Yixing crooned, stroking the stag’s soft cheek. The stag huffed, its intelligent dark eyes fixed on the advisor.

“Xiao Lu,” Yi Chen whispered and the creature turned his head, wide eyed. Yi Chen laid his hand upon the animal’s back and a sob tore from his throat. “That was too close.”

“Yifan!”

 

The king jerked his head up at the sound of his son's name, and the stag snorted in alarm when his knee bumped against its rump as he rose quickly. Junseo had his arms around the prince who was clutching at his head in pain.

Yifan whimpered and sank slowly to his knees, despite the duke’s support. His mind went blank and he felt so dizzy that he could hardly stand.

“What's wrong with him?” Yi Chen asked, worry coloring his voice as he reached for his second born.

Yixing took advantage of everyone’s confusion to deftly pluck the arrow from the stag’s hind leg. He barely got out of the way in time when the stag kicked out in shock and pain, head swinging around to look at his injured leg.

The creature grunted, dark eyes glaring at Yixing in betrayal.

“Oh don't be a baby, Your Highness,” Yixing admonished as he pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and used it to bind the wound.

The stag stared, blinking at him in surprise.

“Yes, I know who you are. And your father seems to know as well.” Yixing petted the stag gently on its nose after he had tied off the cloth. “Go on. You better go before Yifan recovers from whatever he's been struck with.”

The stag snorted and heaved himself up, snagging the edge of Yixing’s shirt to suck on in thanks. Yixing patted the rump of the magnificent creature gently and the stag ran off with a limp, its footsteps light and soundless against the forest floor.

Yixing made his way to where the King was crouched over the still form of his second born, trembling. “Yifan?” He fell on his knees beside his best friend, eyes darting in panic as he scanned the prince’s body.   
  
“He’s not responding,” Yi Chen whispered, his voice trembling, fear crippling him as thoughts of his second born falling into Raven’s claws as well swirled in his mind. The prince was lying on the soft ground, brow creased in pain, unaware of the chaos around him.

“What happened?” Yixing asked, reaching out to press a hand against Yifan’s forehead. His skin was hot to the touch and he had started to shiver violently.

“His pupils,” Duke Junseo started, dread audible in his voice as he continued, panicked eyes following Yifan’s earlier steps. “They dilated and filled his eyes with black. I waved a hand in front of him and he snapped out of whatever daze he was in and the black faded.” The Duke brushed back the prince’s sweat-soaked hair with care and pity for the fallen prince. “When the black had faded completely, he grabbed his head like it hurt and then he collapsed.”  
  
“He is feverish. We must get him back to the palace immediately.” Yixing curled a hand around his best friend’s much larger one and heard a groan. He heaved a sigh of relief; Yifan was not fully unconscious after all.

“What could've caused this?” The King asked, reaching out and wrapping an arm around his son’s shoulder, placing his motionless form over his lap.

“Dark magic.” Yixing’s voice was quiet, full of fear and knowing as his eyes were glued to his best friend, willing him to wake with his thoughts.

Together, the three of them managed to manoeuvre Yifan into a sitting position as the prince slipped in and out of consciousness. “Fan, I know you're hurting and I promise I can make it stop. But you must help us now. I need you to stand, no matter how hard it is.” There is alarm yet gentleness in the advisor’s voice as Yixing pressed his lips against Yifan’s ear and whispered to him, gently coaxing his best friend back to consciousness. The prince stirred slightly, his eyes still unfocused, and with his father and Duke Junseo’s support, managed to get to his feet.

 

“He cannot ride like this,” Junseo said, alarmed at how weak the prince was.

“He won't have to. Scorpio can carry us both. I can keep him up,” Yixing replied, picking up the fallen bow.

“I should have never permitted him to come with us,” Yi Chen fretted as they half-dragged, half-carried the barely conscious prince back to where the hunting party were packing up.

 Joonmyun and the guards were stunned to see Yifan in that state but Yixing was quick to reassure them, shooting Joonmyun a worried look. _Dark magic caused this._

Joonmyun's eyes widened and he mouthed something that gave the advisor chills. _We're running out of time._

Yifan managed to regain enough strength to be legged up onto Scorpio, Yixing’s white gelding and the advisor swung up lightly behind him, picking up his reins.

 The hunting party were informed that the prince had felt unwell and therefore the hunt was being cut short as the King was worried about his son’s health. It was a blatant lie but it was better than telling them the truth and allowing panic to run rampant at the mention of dark magic.


	7. Chapter 6

“He will be fine. He’s just febrile. I expect the fever will run its course in a couple of hours and he will feel better then,” Zhang Cheng said in a soft voice as his son laid an iced linen across the prince’s forehead.

“Do you have any idea what could have caused it?” Yi Chen asked, worry creasing his brow.

The physician glanced at his son, not finding it in himself to break it to the King that his second-born was under a spell.

“Dark magic at work,” Yixing spoke without looking up. He poured hot water into a sieve of chrysanthemums set over a bowl as he said his next words. “Duke Junseo said his pupils dilated and filled his irises. That is a major sign of dark magic. I expect that the sudden urge to shoot the stag is a result of the magic as well.”

Yi Chen looked alarmed and his queen grabbed his arm in fear. “Does it mean that she has found him?” the king asked, voice trembling.

Zhang Cheng stepped in to calm his king’s fears. “No. It could be just the curse talking. What happened today made it clear  that if Luhan is to die by an arrow shot by _his family’s blood_ , someone of his kin, it would be Yifan’s arrow.”

"So we can prevent this from happening.” The joy in the king’s voice was evident. “If Yifan is not permitted to go into the forest, he would never be able to shoot that arrow!”

Zhang Cheng shook his head. “A curse is never so simple.”

“And Yifan is stubborn. I know him well. If he is forbidden from doing something, he would put it into his mind to accomplish it." Yixing’s voice was quiet as he brushed Yifan’s damp hair away from his eyes, his actions conveying care that he wished the prince could see. "It would be best to permit him to go on hunts but explicitly tell him that he is not to hunt hart.”

“That would not make any difference if the curse affects him as well,” Joonmyun cut in from where he was standing at the side, merely voicing out his thoughts in hopes that they would be helpful.

Yixing glared at him, pulling his hand away from Yifan’s brow. “What do you suggest then? Lock him up in the palace when he is already miserable that he isn't allowed to go out?”

Joonmyun recoiled, eyes wide and stunned at the venom in Yixing's tone.

“Sitting around here arguing will give us no answers.” Zhang Cheng spoke calmly, sending a sharp glance in his son’s direction. “We are doing everything we can to find a cure and right now, the prince will go nowhere except for his bed until he is better.”

Yixing glared down at the sheets for being scolded, albeit subtly, and picked up Yifan's hand from where it lay limply on the bed, willing Yifan to get better.

 

-

 

As the regents left the room, Zhang Cheng turned to his son who was carefully clearing up the bowls and avoiding his father’s eyes. “What was that about Yixing? You know better than to speak to Joonmyun in that manner. He may be your friend, but he is also a lord.”

Yixing ducked his head, flushing at the reminder. “I didn't mean to. I was just upset. I'll apologize to him later.”

The healer looked at his son with a hint of exasperation. “You know better, Yixing. If your mother hears about this…”

Yixing sat up, eyes wide as alarm bells rang in his head. “You wouldn't, Father! She would have my head!”

Zhang Cheng looked amused at the panic in his son’s voice. “I won't tell her if you go and apologize to Joonmyun now.”

Yixing pouted at his father’s command before looking down at the prince. “But Yifan…”

“Will be fine. I will stay here and watch over your beloved.” The healer watched in delight at the red flush that crawled over his son's face at the word.

“He is not my beloved, Father!” Yixing muttered indignantly.

“Whatever you say, son. Whatever you say.” Zhang Cheng sang as he picked up the linen lying over the prince’s forehead and laid another in its place. “Now go and don't come back until you have apologized.”

 

 

Yixing found Joonmyun in his chambers, reading as per usual. His heart palpitated hard in his chest when he remembered the hurt expression painted on his friend’s face when he spat such words to him. Swallowing his pride, he tapped lightly on the door and waited for the other to allow him entrance.

“Come in.” The lord looked up from his book and his brows creased when he saw that it was Yixing. His eyes narrowed and he dropped his eyes back to his book.

“Your Grace,” Yixing murmured, moving to stand in front of his friend.

“What do you want?” The cold sentence nearly made Yixing spin around and walk right out but he stayed, mainly because he hated the thought of Joonmyun being mad at him. Aside from Yifan, Joonmyun was his closest friend.

"Joon... I'm sorry…” He knelt before Joonmyun's chair, chewing his lip nervously. “I didn't mean to lash out at you. I was just scared, and you know how I am when Yifan gets upset.”

Joonmyun finally looked up from his book and glanced at Yixing. “You do know that you don't just have Yifan as a friend right? Unless I have been wrong all these years and I'm not a friend to you?”

Yixing rose to embrace his friend but Joonmyun remained stiff in his chair. “No! I mean, you are my friend. It's just Yifan…” His voice faded out and he looked guilty. “I'm sorry, Joon. I never realized. Forgive me.” He lowered his head into the crook of Joonmyun's neck and kissed it gently.

Joonmyun shifted and slowly he wrapped his arms around Yixing's waist. “I forgive you for being an idiot whenever Yifan’s around. But please don't do that again. I love Yifan just as much as you do, and I would do anything to protect him. When are you planning to tell him by the way?”

Yixing pulled away from Joonmyun's arms looking shy. “Tell him what?”

Joonmyun narrowed his eyes at his friend’s denial. “You know _what_.”

Yixing blinked and cocked his head to the side slowly. “Nope. In fact I think I shall approach Kyungsoo and…”

Joonmyun groaned and poked Yixing in his side. “Let that go, will you?”

Yixing yelped and danced away from his fingers. “Do that again and I'll tell him.” The advisor threatened when Joonmyun's fingers came within range again.

Joonmyun stilled. “You wouldn't!”

“See if I won't!” Yixing crowed as he ran out of the room, Joonmyun hot on his heels.

 

-

 

Luhan limped out of the forest just as the sun sank beneath the sea. He stumbled up the little pathway, his mind reeling from the day’s events. He had seen him! His brother and his brother’s  best friend. But his brother seemed to not know him at all. Luhan whimpered when the pain in his hind leg reminded him violently of that fact. He lifted a foreleg and pawed gently at the door.

Shinwoo’s mouth dropped open when he saw the state of the prince. “What happened to you?!” He gasped, fear racing through him as he rushed to the deer. Luhan whined and tried to head butt Shinwoo aside.

“None of that now. Let me see your leg.” Shinwoo waved a finger warningly at the stag and moved to Luhan’s rump. He carefully removed the blood-soaked handkerchief and examined the wound. The bleeding had stopped and the wound, luckily, was shallow and needed no stitches.

Shinwoo led the prince over to the dinner table and while Luhan ate, he fetched warm water and cloths to clean the wound to prevent infection. The prince jerked away, crying out in pain when the first drops of warm salted water were dabbed onto the wound.

“Be still, Luhan!” Shinwoo cried out in frustration when the stag skittered his hindquarters out of reach when he tried to clean the wound with the warm cloth.

Luhan glared at him reproachfully when the caretaker forcefully pushed his hindquarters down onto the floor. The stag struggled but the man held on.

“Do not kick me in the face right now Xiao Lu. It will hurt worse if it gets infected.”

Luhan grumbled but he stilled, whimpering whenever Shinwoo patted the cloth down his wound, the salted water stinging him as it dripped into the cut.

When he was satisfied, Shinwoo wrapped gauze around the leg and rose to clean off the cloths. He took the fabric that had been bound around the Prince's leg when he had come into the castle with him. Upon washing the blood from it, he could clearly see the letters that had been monogrammed onto the fabric. ‘ZYX’ was clearly embroidered in silver at the edge of the handkerchief. The caretaker froze as he thumbed at the design. He knew those initials; they belonged to the healer’s son. That meant that Luhan had recently been in contact with them.

A pitter pattering on the cold stone floor indicated that the prince had entered the kitchen. He turned slowly to face the stag who was trying to nuzzle his way into Shinwoo’s arms. “We are going to have a talk tonight, Xiao Lu.”

Luhan snorted and snagged the freshly washed handkerchief from the caretaker’s hands. He turned around and hurried off, still limping slightly.

Shinwoo had a pretty good idea where he was taking the handkerchief. Luhan had amassed a collection of things that had everything to do with his family. It had started when Duke Junseo brought him a drawing that Yifan had done and thrown away. Luhan had kept the drawing in pristine condition throughout the years and as the Duke brought him more, he kept them in a box that had been gifted by his father when he had been told by his friend of his son’s unusual hobby. Loose cuff buttons, a white handkerchief embroidered with his brother’s initials, a satin ribbon his mother had given up for him and a wax stamped with the family crest were only some of the things that were carefully tucked away inside the box. Duke Junseo had somehow managed to convince Yixing to give up a composition he had messed up and Luhan had stowed it carefully away as well.

 

Luhan carefully nosed at the latch, wary of cutting his muzzle.

Shinwoo came up behind him just as he had opened the lid of the chest up. The caretaker watched with barely suppressed amusement as the prince laid the handkerchief into the chest as tenderly as if it was his child.

Luhan turned to his caretaker after he had successfully snapped the latch back into place.

Shinwoo petted his nose gently and moved aside. “We need to talk.”

 

-

 

As soon as midnight had passed and the prince lay panting and sweating on the ground, Shinwoo laid a towel over the prince and crouched down to look at his leg. The gauze bandage had split open during the transformation and the caretaker feared that the wound may have reopened.

“Ow!” Luhan yelped when a warm cloth dampened with salt water was laid over his injury. He squirmed and reached out a hand to remove it.

Shinwoo slapped it away. “Leave it,” he commanded and the prince wilted, whimpering softly at the sting.

“Why were you anywhere near a hunt today?” Shinwoo asked as he set the prince’s clothes down beside him.

Luhan flushed and kept his eyes down on the hardwood on the library.

“Luhan,” Shinwoo said warningly.

“I only passed by them!” The prince squeaked as he pulled his shirt over his head. “The hounds scented me, it wasn't my fault!” He faltered when Shinwoo gave him a sharp glance. The caretaker removed the warm cloth as it grew cool and wrapped more gauze over the wound.

“You are incredibly lucky that it was your father's hunting party you ran into.” Shinwoo sighed as he sat heavily into the armchair by the cold fireplace.

“How…” Luhan whispered, astounded by how the caretaker knew without him telling.

“The initials on that handkerchief are of the healer’s son.”

Luhan looked up at his caretaker. “I saw him.”

Shinwoo turned to look at him with tired eyes.

“My brother. I saw him. He was the one who shot that arrow.”

Shinwoo’s mouth dropped open in horror.

Luhan looked at him sadly. "Was he never told about me?” he asked, more to himself than to the caretaker.

“I don't… Believe so.”

Sadness fell over Luhan's beautiful eyes like a veil and he turned away. “Are they ashamed of me?”

The prince looked so miserable asking this that Shinwoo’s heart quavered, feeling sorry for him. “Oh, Xiao Lu. Your parents love you but they must maintain peace. If the people knew what truly happened to you, there would be an uprising and attention would be drawn towards your brother which would in turn put him in danger.” The caretaker left his chair in favour of cradling the prince to his chest tenderly.

Distantly, as he held Luhan in his arms, Shinwoo heard a soft caw and his blood ran cold.

 

-

 

Yixing smoothed down Yifan’s unruly fringe and let his hand linger just a moment longer. It was rare for him to see Yifan look so peaceful and even rarer to see him vulnerable. The advisor’s fists clenched involuntarily at the thought of Raven even coming near his prince.

Leaning over the bed, he was sorely tempted to press a kiss onto Yifan’s lips. “You're such an idiot. What use could Raven possibly have for an idiot? Maybe she wants you for your looks,” he told the sleeping prince, pressing his fingertips to the prince’s temples gently.

“You scared me there, in the forest. I thought you were gone. I should've known better though." Yixing shook his head. "It takes more than just a spell to take you down, you brave stupid prince. Why do I even like you? Scratch that, why does my traitorous heart beat so much faster whenever you're around? It is not fair.”

The advisor pouted and trailed a finger along Yifan’s jaw. “It is not fair that you will never feel the same,” he murmured softly, almost to himself. He picked up an iced linen from the bowl next to him and laid it over his best friend’s forehead.

Yifan shivered slightly when the cold cloth touched his skin but he did not wake.

Yixing pulled back and let his hand trail down to touch Yifan’s hand. He let their fingers entwine together, like they had so often done when they were children.

A long while later Yixing shifted from his post beside the prince’s bed when he heard the prince groan. “Your Highness,” he whispered and Yifan stirred awake.

“What time is it?” Yifan croaked, voice hoarse from being asleep all day.

“Nearing midnight,” Yixing answered as he helped the prince sit up, propping him up with a few more pillows. He lifted the hot water kettle from beside him and poured it over a sieve of chrysanthemums. Yifan had managed to be awakened earlier that night to drink the first bowl Yixing had made and it was helping, his colour was returning.

“Why are you still awake? Oh god my head is throbbing so badly.” Yifan flopped into his pillows and groaned soundly.

“Someone has to take care of you.” Yixing murmured as he brushed the sweaty blonde hair off Yifan’s forehead and held the bowl up to his lips. “Drink it while it's hot, it's more effective that way.”

Yifan raised the bowl to his lips just as the clock struck twelve. “Aargh!” A sharp, unforgiving pain exploded through his head and he cried out, dropping the bowl in favour of clutching his head in pain.

The yellow liquid spilled across the white comforter and onto Yixing’s lap but he hardly cared, leaping up to his feet in worry. “What’s wrong?” He reached out to pull Yifan close to him.

The prince whimpered and buried his face into his best friend’s chest. “My head. It feels… It feels like it's on fire!”

Yixing could feel Yifan’s skin start to heat up and then, he heard something that made chills run up his spine.

 

_A raven’s caw._

 

"Shall I fetch my father?” Yixing asked, fighting to keep the fear from his voice.

Yifan moaned in pain and his grip tightened even more to keep the younger close to him. “Don't go. You make me feel better.”

Yixing laughed outright, the raven still on the back of his mind even as he held his best friend close.

“Don't laugh at me,” the prince grumbled, his fingers grasping the fabric of Yixing’s clothes, “I'm serious. My headache is fading as we speak,” Yifan mumbled into Yixing's shoulder, his hot breath tickling the younger’s neck.

“You're imagining things,” Yixing whispered, struggling not to squirm from the puffs of hot air caressing his neck as he stroked the prince’s hair tenderly.

Yifan nuzzled into Yixing’s neck, inhaling the smell of water lilies and mint that always seemed to cling to the advisor.

“Better?” Yixing asked, rubbing a hand along Yifan’s spine. The prince exhaled and nodded, slowly pulling away from their embrace. “Go back to sleep. You will feel better in the morning.” The advisor brushed his knuckles gently against Yifan’s cheek and the prince sighed, eyes fluttering shut again.

“You smell good.”

Yixing jumped when the prince spoke softly. “And you're weird for saying that.” The advisor smiled when Yifan opened one eye to glare at him.

“Why are you always so mean to me?” The prince grumbled, voice low as he stretched a hand out to poke at Yixing’s dimple.

Yixing caught his hand before it could touch him and kept holding it. “I'm not mean and you need to rest, Your Highness.”

Yifan lifted his head to gaze up at Yixing, his amber eyes meeting his best friend’s and the advisor caught his breath. The prince had always been handsome, attracting everyone's attention whenever he walked into the room but now, just lying there with the moonlight streaming over him, Yixing thought he had never looked more beautiful.

He gulped, mouth suddenly dry. “Go…Go back to sleep,” he stuttered, laying Yifan’s hand back onto the bed.

“You won't leave, will you?” The prince asked, voice tiny and so vulnerable that it clutched at the advisor’s heart.

“Go to sleep, Your Highness. I'll be here when you wake up.”

Yifan’s body relaxed and his eyelids slowly closed as fatigue took over his body once more, a soft smile lingering on his lips as he fell back to sleep.

 


	8. Chapter 7

Raven’s eyes glittered in delight as she watched the image in her crystal shard fade out. Her pet ravens had delivered the warning and message. The healer's son would work even harder now to uncover a cure for the curse and she would help him along, coaxing him towards the castle at the other side of the Mofa Forest. Then everything would go as planned.

She flicked her wrist again and the image of the healer’s son reappeared. She sighed dreamily upon his appearance. With his fair skin and soulful eyes like those of a dove, he was the epitome of perfection. The dark curly hair that had to be swept aside or tucked behind his ear looked as soft as a new-born rabbit’s skin. When dressed in all white, he looked, to put it the way the prince had, like an angel sent from heaven. She could stare at him all day.

Raven watched as a large hand curled around his slender wrist and the prince came into view, backing the healer’s son into a wall. Her heart filled with anger at how roughly her dearest was being treated. A creature so ethereal should never be treated so harshly. To her, someone like Yixing should live in a palace and be the prince and she could give him that. The thought that he was living a life as a servant to the bastard prince intensified her rage. _Soon,_ she consoled herself. Soon she would get her hands on him and he would be hers, _forever_.

 

-

 

Yifan narrowed his eyes at his best friend who was pounding some herbs with a mortar and pestle. “Tell me what happened yesterday.”

“Nothing much happened. You shot the stag, but it got away, then you got a headache and blacked out.” Yixing steadily avoided the prince’s eyes as he ground the herbs down into a fine paste. One of the lords had fallen from his horse the day before and broken his ribs. His father had ordered for the herbs and he needed to get them finished.

“That's not the whole truth and you know it." Yifan grabbed the advisor’s hand, tone accusing. "There’s something else.”

“We can talk about this later, can't we? I have to get this done for my father,” Yixing pleaded, claiming back his hand.

“I'll go find Zitao then,” Yifan said, just to spite him.

Sure enough, Yixing's grip on the pestle tightened and the muscles in his jaw tensed even as he spoke calmly. “Go ahead, just don't miss your sparring lesson with Jongin.”

Yifan was tempted to miss the lesson just to see Yixing’s reaction, but sparring was a lesson he shared with Joonmyun, and with his friend leaving for home in about two days, he wanted to spend as much time as he could with him. As he sidestepped a maid hurrying down the hallway, he remembered the words he had overheard the night before when he had lain barely conscious in his bed.

 

_“I expect that the sudden urge to shoot the stag is a result of the magic as well.”_

 

Yifan's brow creased as he pulled open a door that led out into the gardens. He had been lying when he said he was going to look for Zitao. The guard was in training at the moment and would not be done till lunchtime.

 

_“Does it mean that she has found him?”_

 

_Who was father talking about? Who found me? Why did father sound so afraid?_   Yifan thought as he stepped into the gardens, the smell of chrysanthemums filling the air. He wandered towards the maze, idly wondering if he could find the pavilion again. He remembered playing catch with Yixing in this maze when he was little, and they always found the center of the maze without too much trouble.

 

_"So we can prevent this from happening.”_

 

What was the ‘this’ his father was talking about? Prevent what from happening? 

 

_“A curse is never so simple.”_

 

Yifan frowned. _What curse? Am I cursed?_

 

“What are you thinking so hard about, Yifan?”

Yifan jumped about a foot in the air when a gentle voice pierced through his thoughts. He crashed into a tall hedge and fell on his bottom.

Liu Xing laughed as she offered a hand for the prince to take.

“Nothing much.” The prince blushed as he accepted the hand.

“Alright. If you say so.” Liu Xing smiled and turned to clip off a few branches from the overgrown hedge.

Yifan made up his mind just as the gardener reached for her bucket. “Xing jie.”

“Hm?” She glanced at him with a smile.

“What do you know about my brother?”

Liu Xing’s smile slipped off her face and she picked up her bucket. “Not much, I'm afraid. His name was Luhan. He had the most beautiful eyes, the colour of chocolate. He had golden blonde hair like you and your father and pale skin like your mother.”

Yifan watched the gardener’s face as she spoke.

“It was most unfortunate that he was struck with crib death,” She finished softly.

The prince frowned at this. It seemed that everyone assumed that his older brother was dead. “You've never heard of a curse put on him, have you?” He tested the waters, watching Liu Xing’s face closely.

The gardener’s face closed off and she snipped off an overhanging branch. “It will be wise for you, Yifan, not to question things you don't understand. Magic is forbidden talk and it will be best for you to stay away from it.”

Yifan blinked and pounced on the chance. “But that's not an answer. You didn't answer my question.”

Liu Xing narrowed her eyes. “No. Magic was banned from the kingdom a long long time ago and there was no talk of it at all. I'm surprised you even think there is such a possibility.”

Yifan was about to retort when Yixing walked into the maze, carrying a basket. “Mama, could I have some more chrysanthemums please? Papa needs them for the lord.”

Liu Xing clipped off a few flowers from the hedge and set them inside the basket. “Will you take Yifan away as well? He's asking funny questions. I think you need to talk to Henry about his history lesson content.” She sent her son a meaningful look.

Yixing sighed before wrapping a hand around Yifan’s arm. “C’mon. Let's drop these flowers off and we need to get you into sparring attire.” He dragged the prince off before he could protest.

 

The moment they re-entered the palace, Yifan shrugged off Yixing’s hand and glared at him. “You promised me answers.”

The advisor’s grip on the basket tightened and he turned away. “I need to get this to my father.”

Yifan felt a wave of frustration rush through him and he grabbed for Yixing’s wrist, swinging him backwards and cornering him into a wall.

The advisor gasped and stumbled, eyes shooting up to look at his best friend. The prince was standing so close that their chests were almost touching. “Your Highness…” Yixing let his voice trail off as their eyes locked.

Yifan's voice was low and raw. “Since when have we had secrets, Xing? I thought we told each other everything.”

The prince looked so hurt and annoyed that Yixing felt guilty for hiding so much away. “It's better for you not to know,” he managed to choke out as Yifan moved closer, pressing him into the wall.

“I have allowed you to call me by my title in the hopes that you wouldn't push me away. But it seems to me that our friendship is becoming non-existent to you,” Yifan whispered, tone so low that the advisor strained to hear him.

“Fan…” Yixing breathed, the close proximity making him feel light headed. The prince lowered his head until their lips were inches from each other and Yixing could feel the rhythmic puffs of air from his friend’s lips. His eyes flickered up to meet those amber pools and the air seemed to leave his lungs when Yifan leaned in…

 

_Bang!_

 

A door slammed down the hallway and Zhang Cheng emerged. “Ah, Yixing…”

The pair leapt apart, Yifan tripping over thin air and Yixing slamming his head against the wall by accident.

“What on earth were the two of you doing?” Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes as he took in the sight of his only son clutching his head in pain and the prince sitting on the floor looking winded.

“Nothing, Papa. His Highness was just trying to tell me something,” Yixing supplied, scratching the back of his neck nervously as a red flush climbed up his face.

Zhang Cheng decided it would be safer not to ask as the prince clambered to his feet, face flaming. “I don't want to know.” He shook his head at the two of them and reached for the basket Yixing miraculously still had in his hands. “Joonmyun popped in and he was looking for you, Yifan. You better get changed.”

Yixing blushed furiously when his father smirked at him and turned to Yifan hurriedly to avoid his father’s gaze. “Your sparring starts soon. Let's go get you changed.”

The prince nodded, too flushed to say anything.

They made no mention of what almost happened in the hallway as Yixing helped his best friend button up his cotton sparring shirt and hurried him out to the sparring grounds as fast as possible.

“Sorry, we’re late!” Yifan gasped as he snatched a broad sword from that young assistant brought to him.

Yixing stood himself at the side of the sparring area, sitting out of the lesson because of his previously injured hand. He watched as Jongin knocked the sword out of Joonmyun’s hand and pressed the tip of his own sword to the young lord’s neck. Joonmyun was sweating, white shirt turning translucent as he bent to retrieve his sword.

“Yifan, you're pairing with Sehun since Yixing is out of commission,” Jongin called and the assistant who had brought Yifan his sword returned with a broad sword of his own. “Joonmyun, you can take a break and we’ll watch Yifan.”

Yifan gasped when the young man lunged towards him, sword raised. He dodged and swung his blade toward his opponent. Sehun was more of an offense person, he noticed, which left him open. He thrust his sword forward and Sehun stepped aside, swinging his sword wildly. Yifan timed his next swing and struck the hilt of the assistant’s sword on his hit, putting all his weight downwards and twisting his hand. The sword clattered out of Sehun’s hand and he was left standing with Yifan’s sword point at his throat.

“Well done!” Jongin praised as he lifted his own sword. “Here, I’ll swap with Sehun and at the end of this, we’ll put you and Joonmyun against each other.”

They spent most of the lesson learning new techniques and at last, the moment where they were waiting for, Joonmyun and Yifan against each other. Yixing watched with amusement as they got into position. This would be an entertaining match as Joonmyun had proven to be surprisingly good at hand to hand combat despite his hatred for violence while Yifan had the upperhand in terms of height and strength. Jongin allowed them to trade the wooden broad sword for true fencing rapiers with strict warnings not to maim each other.

The two friends eyed each other and even the air seemed to go still before Yifan lunged forward, swinging his sword. Joonmyun parried his strike away easily and the match truly began. Both parties were good swordsmen and it showed in both their actions. Yixing caught his breath when Yifan stumbled under a particularly aggressive attack by Joonmyun. The prince recovered quickly and lunged when Joomyun left his guard open. The young lord stepped back, much to Yixing’s astonishment, as if he had anticipated the move and struck the hilt of Yifan’s sword, using the exact move Yifan had used against Sehun in the beginning of the lesson. It sent Yifan’s sword clattering to the ground. Unsettled by the loss of the weight in his hand, Yifan tipped over and jerked forward just as Joonmyun brought his sword tip up to rest upon the prince’s throat.

The sharp tip of the sword cut Yifan slightly and blood trickled slowly out of the wound.

“You're bleeding!” Joonmyun gasped but the prince did not flinch until his friend had removed his sword.

“Great match.” Yifan smiled warmly at his friend as he lifted a hand to wipe at the sweat on his forehead.

“You idiot!” Yixing came rushing across the range, handkerchief in hand. He pressed the cloth to the cut all while looking at Joonmyun reproachfully. The lord bowed and apologized but Yifan waved him off, allowing Yixing to fuss over him and call him an idiot.

“If you are quite done being a mother hen, lunch is ready.”

Yixing’s fingers drew away from Yifan’s neck at the sound of that infuriating voice.

Zitao stood at the side of the sparring grounds, shirt clinging to his body due to sweat, evidently having just finished training.

Yifan caught the flash of irritation that crossed Yixing’s face as he turned away, schooling his expression as he did so.

“Let’s go.” Joonmyun handed his sword to Sehun as he came round to collect them and grabbed Yixing by the hand. “I'm starving.”

 

-

 

“How are you feeling, Yifan?” Yi Chen studied his son’s face as he dug into his meal. The prince seemed deep in thought as he placed a forkful of chicken into his mouth.

“Ow, what?” Yifan yelped when Yixing elbowed him and gestured towards his father, evident that he had not heard him.

Down the table, Lan Ling suppressed a smile.

“I’m sorry, Father. I had wandered off.”

Yi Chen smiled fondly at his son as he scooped up a spoonful of peas into his mouth. “I asked how you are feeling. Your fever had been unusually high yesterday.”

Yifan leaned back into his chair, as he set his fork down. “Oh, I'm fine. But I have questions.” He studied his father’s face as he lifted a napkin to his lips.

Beside him, Yixing tensed and he exchanged a glance with Joonmyun. This was not going to be good.

 

“Who’s been cursed? What does that have to do with the stag I shot yesterday?” Yifan questioned, narrowing his eyes to focus on his father's reaction.

His father’s smile vanished, his face darkening, and he stabbed his fork harshly into his chicken. “What curse? Who’s been telling you stories? There is no curse. Magic has been banned for centuries and has not been seen or talked about since.”

Yifan frowned at the king’s response. “But…” He started, determined to get an answer.

“This subject is closed," his father snapped. "There will be no talk of magic from anyone, especially you, Yifan.”

 

-

 

“I don’t understand. Why is Father so against the talk of magic?” Yifan asked as Yixing fed a sugar lump to his horse a week later. His history lessons had been upped a notch because Henry seemed determined for the prince to learn about the Draiochtae.

“Your entire bloodline was nearly wiped out by a sorceress, I doubt anyone would be willing to talk about the dark days,” Yixing answered, rubbing Scorpio’s forehead gently. The Andalusian snuffled at his chest and made a wet patch. “Silly boy.” The advisor laughed, pushing the offending muzzle away.

They were taking a walk through the stables as there was still fifteen minutes to Yifan’s schooling lesson in the arena. “What happened during the dark days?” Yifan asked curiously as they moved down the corridor to the next horse. Antares whinnied as his rider came into view. Yifan scratched under his forelock leisurely as Yixing fed him a sugar lump.

“Don’t you listen during your history lessons, Your Highness?” Yixing sounded more amused than angry as he petted the Arab’s velvety nose.

“It’s not my fault that I can't ever understand what Henry is explaining. I wish I could have you for all my classes because I understand whatever you say,” Yifan muttered as Antares tried to head butt him.

“And I would be the one throwing fits every time because you don’t finish your assigned work,” Yixing deadpanned as he opened the Dutch door to lead Antares out. “Grab your bridle, it's time to tack up.”

Captain Huang was the one who taught them to ride. He made them turn in circles and figure eights. Yixing’s quiet Andalusian took to the exercise very well but Antares, Yifan’s Arabian, was hot headed and easily bored.

“Yifan, legs on and heels down! Antares is bored. Canter!”

Scorpio moved into the canter easily when Yixing asked but Antares slowed to a halt and refused to take another step.

“Get on with you!” Yifan cried out in frustration and he dug his heels hard into the horse’s side. The hot headed Arab snorted in annoyance and jumped forward so fast that Yifan lurched backwards, left behind by the momentum. He snatched a handful of mane to balance himself, flushing hotly when he noticed Yixing and Scorpio doing perfect circles while watching him struggle.

Yixing had a worried expression on his face as Captain Huang asked them to change leads and canter in the other direction.

Yifan pushed Antares into a trot but when he asked for canter, the horse just continued trotting and minding his own business.

“Alright that’s enough. The two of you change horses. Antares is getting frustrated.” Captain Huang instructed and Yixing slowed Scorpio into a perfect square halt right next to Antares.

Yifan dismounted and they swapped, Antares side stepping away when Yixing tried to mount. “Easy boy. It’s just me,” Yixing soothed as he set his toe into the stirrup. Antares snorted and tried to crab step away again. “Woah. Stand still now,” Yixing murmured and, to everyone’s surprise, Antares stilled, allowing Yixing to mount with no further problems.

“Okay, circle him and forward walk to A before trotting in a circle.” Captain Huang moved to the center of the arena and the riders followed his instructions.

Yifan could not stop looking over at Yixing. Antares was a difficult horse and very picky. Yifan had been the one to break him in but the horse often showed him attitude. However, whenever Yixing was the one riding, he rarely acted up. This time, he broke into a canter immediately when Yixing asked for trot and the advisor corrected him, shortening his reins.

“Pay attention now, Yifan,” Captain Huang reminded him and called for them to do a figure of eight across the center of the arena. Scorpio was a dream to ride but the stallion threw a fit when Yixing asked him to change leads as they crossed the center, even throwing in a little buck.

As Yifan watched with envy, the advisor was hardly fazed and instead pushed him into a trot, forcing him to circle. Antares protested but with Yixing creating a constant pressure on his side, he obliged, turning in a tight circle. The advisor was not satisfied however and pushed him to circle once more before asking him to cross the arena again. This time, the stallion did so without complaint. The rest of the lesson went without a hitch after Yixing burned out the excess energy in the stallion.

“Well done, Yixing.” Captain Huang smiled as they dismounted to cool the horses off.

Yixing bowed his head in thanks at the compliment as he turned Antares away.

 

_Oh no._

 

All the colour seemed to drain from his face when he saw the bird flying over their heads.

"Yixing, what's wrong?" Yifan asked as he led Scorpio forward so that they were neck to neck.

Yixing did not answer, eyes fixated on the black raven that was flying across them. He heard a distant caw and he shivered.

Captain Huang seemed to have noticed the bird as well, as his eyes had gone wide and he reached forward to grasp Scorpio's reins. "Yifan, go inside. I'll take Scorpio for you. Yixing, you as well."

Yifan frowned at the captain's odd behaviour. The captain never allowed anyone to slack off on taking care of their horses and Yixing never wanted to let anyone else take care of his horse but he released Antares's reins and grabbed Yifan by the arm.

"Let's go!" Yixing said. 

Yifan stumbled forward as Yixing broke into a run and dragged him along.

 

"What's up with you?" Yifan gasped as Yixing hauled open the side door and shoved him inside. All the servants in the kitchen looked up to stare at them.

"Nothing." His best friend doubled over, catching his breath.

Yifan narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.

Yixing seemed to sense what was coming because he darted around the prince and took off, scurrying out of the kitchen in record time. The advisor tore down the hallways, fully aware of the prince yelling behind him but all that he could see in his mind was the terrifying vision of the raven flying over them in plain sight. _She knows. She's found him._ The reality was horrifying to him as he raced across the palace, desperate to find his father and tell him that they were out of time.

He burst into the infirmary without knocking, startling his father and mother who were tending to the injured lord on the bed.

"Yixing! I am..." The thunderous look on Zhang Cheng's face melted into a look of concern when he saw the state of his son, “What happened?"

Yixing was doubling over in the doorway, face as pale as a sheet as if he had seen a ghost and wheezing heavily. "I... The prince... Bird!" Yixing managed to gasp out, clutching at his stomach.

Liu Xing's face immediately drained of colour and she looked at her husband with pure terror written over her face. "The prince was attacked by a bird?" The lord on the bed looked startled at Yixing's declaration.

Zhang Cheng dropped the gauze he was holding into his wife's hand, gaze becoming steely. "Tend to him. I must see the king immediately," he said and rose from the bed to take his son by the arm. "Fetch Joonmyun and meet me in the king's chambers as fast as you can after you are finished." His tone softened at the look of terror on his wife's face.

 

Liu Xing nodded and started to wrap the bandage around the lord's chest.

Zhang Cheng pulled Yixing out of the room, and they hurried towards the king's chambers, Yixing rattling off what he had seen to his father on the way.

The father and son entered the king's chambers and Yixing was relieved to know that he did not have to repeat his story again because Captain Huang had arrived before him and the king had already been informed. 

"What shall we do?" Yi Chen held his wife close to him as he looked at all the faces around him.

"We should tell him." Yixing murmured from within the circle of his father's arms. All eyes turned to him and he shrank back.

"Tell Yifan? And how would that help? Have you found a cure?" The king's tone was accusing as he smoothed a hand down his wife's back.

"Your Majesty." Zhang Cheng's tone held a note of warning as he held his son to him.

"We haven't..." Yixing's voice trailed off when the doors of the king's chambers swung open and Yifan stalked in, a look of frustration written all over his face.

"I want to know what is going on. Everyone has been acting strangely ever since that encounter with the stag and I want to know why. I overheard a discussion about magic and I want to know right now." The crown prince exhaled after he finished his rant, shooting a betrayed look at his best friend.

Yixing swallowed hard and his father's arms tightened around him.

"Yifan..." The king spoke up, looking nervous.

"Am I cursed?" Yifan cut him off, brows pulled together in frustration. "Is that why everyone is acting so weird?"

The king's mouth dropped open. "NO! You're not cursed. Thank god, it is not you..." Yi Chen rose from his seat and pulled his son into his arms.

"Then who is it?" Yifan cried out in frustration. "Who are you so scared of? Why are there so many secrets?!" He yanked himself out of his father's arms and looked at everyone in the room.

"Yifan, you may want to sit down." Zhang Cheng murmured gently and the king spun around to face him.

"We're telling him?" Yi Chen gaped at his friend incredulously.

"He knows enough to know that something isn't right. I think he deserves to know the truth." The healer looked up at his friend and Duke Junseo who had been sitting quietly across the room nodded quietly.

"We are out of time, Yi Chen. I think it is time he is told the truth."

The king blinked and glanced at his wife. Lan Ling nodded as well and he sighed heavily. "Sit down then."


	9. Chapter 8

"What do you want to know?" Yi Chen asked, sighing heavily as he settled back into his chair.

Yifan had chosen a spot as far away from Yixing as possible. "The curse,” the prince abruptly answered, “Who's cursed? Why are all of you so afraid?"

The King held up a hand as a signal for him to slow down. "You have heard the name 'Luhan' floating around occasionally."

Yifan nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going.

"He is your brother."

The prince nodded again, frustration curling through him. "But he's dead. That's what Henry told me when I asked in history."

"He was cursed by a sorceress the night before his christening." The words hung heavily in the room and Yifan's mouth dropped open. Before he could cut in, his father continued, "It was my fault." The King held his hand up again to silence the cries that filled the room at that statement. "I saw a stag while hunting nearly a year before Luhan was born. A stag with golden horns. I was compelled to shoot it. The stag died that day with his blood on my hands. I did not know that he was the pet of a sorceress or I would have never strayed from my party."

Yi Chen's expression was full of regret as he recounted the events of that fateful day. "The sorceress promised vengeance but I never took her words to heart until that night. She appeared in your brother's room, clad in black with glowing violet eyes. Raven, that was her name. She cursed my firstborn son to live every day of his life as a hart, only to turn human at the time of his birth which was midnight."

The King sucked in a painful breath as he said his next words. "The day he turns twenty-five, he will be killed by an arrow shot by someone of his blood. We feared the repercussions of the curse so we sent him to live across the Mofa Forest in the ruins of Castle Adfelion."

Yifan gaped at his father. "So he is alive?" He yelped, staring at his father in disbelief.

“Yes and we had reason to believe that the sorceress had forgotten about him until I received a message sent by carrier pigeons from Luhan's caretaker that he heard a raven outside their window the night you shot him,” Duke Junseo spoke up, worry creasing between his eyes.

“Yixing reported hearing a raven as well the night you were unconscious,” Zhang Cheng added, running a hand along his son’s spine soothingly.

“Why wasn't I told?” Yifan asked, watching his father closely.

“Why do you think we’ve never let you out of the castle walls? We’re afraid that because she could not find Luhan, she would come after you. If you had known, it would have been a beacon for her.” Yi Chen sank into his chair, guilt written all over his face. Even after all those years, he still could not forgive himself for the dreadful thing he had done to his first born. “Zhang Cheng has been researching the curse ever since and all that we have found out is that Raven is the original sorceress that caused the uprising a long long time ago.”

Yixing could not suppress a gasp at this and all eyes turned to him.

“I found something else. Yifan asked me a question a week ago about what caused the uprising because Henry assigned that era to us as work,” Joonmyun put in, turning the attention towards him.

“Henry did what?” The king's jaw dropped open but his wife waved him off, more interested in hearing what Joonmyun had to say.

“It turns out that the person who caused Raven to fly into a rage enough to cause an uprising was not royalty," Joonmyun continued. "It was a man and that man was not a Wu.”

At this, Zhang Cheng tensed, a trace of a memory of his own family history coming back to him.

“Papa?” Yixing seemed to sense his father's uneasiness and looked up at him curiously.

Zhang Cheng shook his head. “No, it… It's nothing.”

The king was more concerned with what Joonmyun had to say and egged him on to continue, “Did you find out his heritage?” 

“I looked through the archives in the library but there was no trace. It seemed that because the man wasn't royalty, he wasn't deemed important enough to be written down.” Joonmyun deflated slightly, disappointed with himself that he could provide no more information.

“Not even when he caused the uprising?” Captain Huang interjected, surprised.

“I searched the entire section on the uprising last week and this is our last week here. I could go through it again but I doubt there would be anything,” Joonmyun answered, looking dejected.

Yifan who had been silent the entire time, lifted his head. “What if I searched with you? We might find something.”

Yixing’s mouth opened to protest that the prince had lessons to attend to but Yifan sent him such a poisonous look that his mouth clamped shut and he shrank away, forgotten guilt pooling back in his chest.

“You have your lessons, Yifan,” the king interjected, seeming to have read Yixing’s mind.

“But this is important! What good will my studies do if Raven comes for me?” Yifan cried out and Yi Chen flinched.

“Don't use her name. Names have power,” Zhang Cheng murmured, smoothing a hand through his son’s dark curls nervously. His mind was racing a million miles per minute, trying to recall that crucial bit of history he had been taught as a child. Liu Xing seemed to sense her husband’s inner turmoil and rested a hand on his shoulder gently.

“Father, please.” Yifan looked up at the King imploringly.

“Alright.” The king gave no resistance much to Yixing’s dismay. “And Yifan, tell no one. I have no idea who you would tell, but Zitao has no idea and Captain Huang has no desire to involve his son so please.”

Yifan nodded solemnly.

“So all we do is wait? Luhan only has a year left,” the queen spoke up, anxious eyes scanning the room.

“I want to visit him,” Yifan put in stubbornly.

“Absolutely not,” Yi Chen rebutted immediately. “Now that she has found you, allowing you to go would be suicide.”

Yifan looked absolutely gutted. “So now I'm not allowed to go anywhere? What about the hunts, Father, you promised I could attend the next one!”

The king looked like he completely regretted his decision right then. “I was hasty. Given the circumstances…” He began and Yifan’s face went black and he folded his arms across his chest.

"It's been a week and she has yet to do anything. I think it will be safe to let him go. But under heavy supervision," Zhang Cheng broke in, a chilling fear starting to bloom in his heart when the memory became crystal clear. "Yixing will..."

"No," Yifan and the healer started immediately. Yixing's face clouded with hurt and he looked away. The king looked questioningly at his friend.

"I want him here to help me look through some research," Zhang Cheng said. "We may find something in my ancestry accounts."

Yi Chen bit his lip worriedly. "But there is no one else who will watch him as closely." He fretted, not wanting to disappoint his son but there was still too much unknown for him to feel safe allowing his son to attend the hunt.

"We can extend our stay by a day. Joonmyun and I will stay by his side," Duke Junseo offered and Joonmyun looked thrilled to be able to stay one more day.

Yi Chen shifted, still looking unsure.

"I will put Zitao and Sehun along with Jongin if it will make you feel any better?" Captain Huang asked quietly.

Yifan looked up at his father pleadingly.

"Oh, alright." The king sighed and both Joonmyun and Yifan cheered.

Yixing looked down at the ground sadly and his father kneaded the back of his shoulders gently.

"There is still time before dinner for the two of you to go up to the library to begin looking. Let me or Zhang Cheng know immediately if you think you've found anything important."

Yifan grabbed Joonmyun by the arm and dragged him out just as Yixing got up from the floor. "Xing, I need you to..."

Zhang Cheng caught the look on his son's face and nodded slowly. "Meet me in my room when you're done."

 

The advisor hurried off after his friends, determined to catch them. "Yifan..." Yixing murmured, reaching out a hand to touch the prince just as he caught up with them. He watched with regret as Yifan's shoulders stiffened.

Joonmyun glanced between the two of them and stepped away. "I'll go and start looking first." He mumbled and practically ran down the hallway and out of sight.

Yixing moved nearer to his friend and was dismayed to see him step away, face dark with anger. "Yifan, I'm sorry." The advisor looked up at the prince's face and faltered in his next words. "I didn't..."

"You didn't what? Didn't think this was important enough to tell me? Or is it so important that you cannot tell your best friend? Am I not important enough to be told? Does our friendship mean anything to you at all? I seem to recall having this conversation with you only a week ago." Yifan sneered, fury boiling through him.

"Fan..." Yixing's face had gone pale and he reached for the prince's arm. "Don't 'Fan' me! You're supposed to be my best friend. We promised to have no secrets! I can forgive Joonmyun because he had no obligations to tell me, but to find out that you! You, of all people, lied to me when I asked." His volume grew louder and louder and the passing maids were turning around to look.

Yixing's face was as pale as a sheet and there were tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. "Yifan...I... I'm so sorry." He pressed his lips tightly together to stop the sob that was rising up in his throat. "I'm so sorry."

Yifan took one look at him and turned away, bile rising in the back of his throat at how angry and betrayed he felt. "Is that all you can say?” The advisor remained silent, hanging his head. “I don't want to speak to you anymore. I trusted you, Yixing. I trusted you." The prince's tone was cold and his face was stony as he walked away.

Yixing could feel his heart shattering to the floor as he watched his best friend walk away from him. A sob tore its way out of his throat despite his resistance and he pressed a hand to cover his mouth before turning and running in the other direction towards his own chambers, completely forgetting about his father. A tear trickled down his face as he fumbled blindly for the door knob and slammed the door shut behind him before sliding into the floor, burying his face in his hands. His heart throbbed painfully at the memory of the look Yifan had given him before he had left. Yixing pressed the heel of his palm against his eyes at the feeling of more tears threatening to spill over. He hated to cry, hated it even more that Yifan’s words could affect him so much. He shuddered, fighting back a lump in his throat and leaned against the door. Another tear trickled down his face and he sniffled furiously, raising a hand to wipe the tear away angrily.

_Keep yourself together, Zhang Yixing. He is a prince. Your friendship could only last so long._ The advisor choked back a sob and rose to his feet. He was tired and worn out. Dinner could wait. Yixing flung himself onto his bed and drew the bedcovers tightly around him. He did not want to see anybody and he did not want to have to meet Yifan’s eyes at dinner. He curled up on the bed, burying his face into his pillow and tried to forget the prince’s face. Time stopped mattering as he let himself lie there, eyes staring at the ceiling and pretending that there were no tears running down the planes of his face and soaking his pillow. He barely reacted when he heard the knocks on his door, choosing to close his eyes and pretend he was asleep instead.

 

-

 

Dinner was a quiet affair, Yifan picking at his food in favour of thinking about the hurt look on his best friend’s face at his harsh words. He jabbed at a piece of chicken angrily.

Joonmyun looked over worriedly. “We were both explicitly told not to tell you,” he murmured softly, hoping that his words would soothe the prince’s temper.

“I don't want to talk about it,” Yifan muttered, sticking the chicken into his mouth and harshly cutting another piece.

Joonmyun admitted defeat and withdrew. He hated seeing them out of sorts. Yixing and Yifan had been his closest friends since they were children and they rarely fought. But Yixing was absent from the dinner table and that was never a good sign. Zhang Cheng had looked plenty worried at his son’s disappearance but decided against asking questions.

 

-

 

“Yixing?” Liu Xing poked her head around the door and sighed when she saw her son lying face down on the bed, Yixing having changed position halfway through his thinking.  “Yixing.” She walked over to the bedside and threaded her fingers through her son’s dark curls. “I know you're awake.”

Yixing lifted his head out of the covers and the gardener could clearly see the tear tracks dried on his face. Yixing looked at his mother and back down at his sheets with a lump in his throat.

“Oh, little star.” Liu Xing wrapped her arms around her son and he burst into tears, muffling his sobs into her chest.

“He hates me. He never wants to speak to me again.” Yixing sobbed, clutching at his mother’s shirt. He shook his head and his mother pulled him close, allowing him to bury his face into the crook of her neck.

“He’ll come around, sweetheart.” Liu Xing rested her chin on her son’s shoulder and patted his back tenderly.

“I'm being such a baby about it, aren't I?” Yixing sniffed, feeling rather ashamed of himself.

“It's normal to feel this way when you're in love with him, little star,” his mother answered, pulling away to look at her son in the eye.

“I am not! He's my best friend and I hate it when he’s mad at me,” Yixing protested, tugging his covers up to swathe himself in them.

Liu Xing smoothed his fringe away from his eyes and smiled tenderly. “It's very obvious, you know, how much you adore him.”

Yixing’s mouth dropped open. “Mama! He is a prince!”

His mother only laughed and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I doubt that matters to anyone.”

“Mama?” Yixing murmured as she held him. “Hm?” Liu Xing hummed softly and looked down at her beloved son. “I'm hungry.”

 

-

 

The next morning, Yixing approached the prince's bed with a lot more caution than usual. "It's time to get up, Your Highness," he murmured timidly as he drew open the curtains.

Yifan stirred awake as the sunlight streamed in the bay windows. He opened his eyes and Yixing watched sadly when his brows immediately creased and he frowned. Without saying a word, he got out of bed and started rummaging through his wardrobe for his clothes. Yixing hid the hurt expression away and followed the prince into the adjoining bathroom. He was reaching for the loofah when Yifan spoke.

"I have a maid washing me today," his tone was so cold that the advisor barely suppressed a shiver. He did not sound like Yifan at all. Yifan had always been friendly toward him no matter how mad he had gotten before. The hope that had flared up in Yixing's chest overnight died instantly and his hand retracted quickly as if it had been stung.

The prince did not remove his clothes but watched with cold eyes as the advisor exited the room. Only then, did he remove his clothes and summon the maid to wash and clothe him.

 

Yixing wandered along the halls, alone. He never had such free time in the morning before. It had always been him who washed the prince and dressed him so he had always appeared at breakfast with him. Now it seemed that Yifan intended to replace him with someone else and the thought filled him with pain. It hurt him to know that Yifan seemed to no longer care for him.

The advisor headed for the library for he knew that there was still an hour to breakfast and the royal family would still be preparing for the day. He tugged lightly at the collar of his blue sweater nervously. Spring was approaching fast and Luhan's twenty third birthday would pass all too soon. He wondered idly how the first born prince was doing as he pushed open the library door. The advisor delved into the shelves with renewed vigor at the thought. If Yifan would not allow the advisor to protect him, the least he could do was to return him a brother who could protect him in his place.

He was nose deep in a book when Joonmyun found him. "Morning." The lord smiled when Yixing jumped and nearly dropped the book in surprise. "You're early."

Yixing gave him a faint smile before turning back to his book. "Yifan got a maid to wash him instead so I thought I'd come down and get started."

Joonmyun winced as he rose onto his toes to pull down a book from the shelf. "Ouch, I'm sorry." He blew off the dust that clung to the cover and cracked open it open. "I just thought I would finish my paper before it is due next week."

Yixing nodded, turning his attention back to the chapter he was reading. 

"Xing, are you okay? You didn't come for dinner last night and your father was worried." Joonmyun looked at his friend with genuine concern in his eyes.

Yixing waved him off, determinedly keeping his eyes fixed on the page he was reading. "I'll be fine, Joon. Now get on with your paper. It'll be breakfast soon before you know it." Joonmyun kept his gaze locked on Yixing until the advisor looked up at him. "Joon, please. I don't want to talk about it." Yixing's voice was soft and vulnerable, so different from the light, sarcastic tone the lord was so used to.

"Okay." Joonmyun nodded before glancing down at his book.

 

-

 

Breakfast was incredibly awkward, the regents having gotten used to Yixing and Yifan's light banter as they ate but the prince had moved to the other side of the table to sit with Zitao, leaving Yixing to eat with Joonmyun. Yi Chen exchanged looks with his wife as they sat down to breakfast, rather startled at the sudden change in seating arrangements. The silent treatment continued for the next few days throughout Joonmyun's last week with them.

“Yifan isn't speaking to him and it's killing him,” Liu Xing murmured softly to her husband late one night.

Yifan had been particularly brutal that evening, excitedly describing the shooting practice he had done with Zitao while taking a break from the dusty archives. Yixing had not been invited to search the archives with them even though his expertise would have been much appreciated and he had been silent the entire meal, just moving food listlessly around his plate. His colour had been off the entire week and he seemed to have lost his voracious appetite.

Zhang Cheng had been involving him in searching through his family archives but so far, they've had no luck. The healer was relieved that Yixing had not asked questions about why his father thought they could find an answer in the healer's family history even though that in itself was unusual. Yixing questioned everything but Zhang Cheng supposed that Yifan ignoring him must have had an effect on his head. He just quietly went through the trunks and chests that his father asked him to, not a single question passing his lips.

“I know. He's so in love that it's painful to watch,” Zhang Cheng whispered back. Watching Yixing fall apart without his best friend was painful but the memory of that history held a terrible fear for the healer and he half hoped that he would be proven wrong and that his memory was faulty.

Yifan having been given leave off his lessons meant that they hardly saw him; he was always with Joonmyun in the archives or with Zitao on the shooting range whenever they needed a break. Sometimes, Yixing would stand quietly out of sight to watch them shoot before returning to the vaults where his father kept his old books and history scrolls. The silent treatment frustrated Joonmyun the most because he wanted to spend the time with his friends before he had to go home for a month or two, but Yifan refused to breathe the same air as Yixing and Yixing never invited himself along because he knew exactly what Yifan thought of him in that moment. The advisor spent a lot of time in the stables and arena alone, riding Scorpio and generally just getting used to the lack of Yifan.

The excitement in the air in the days leading up to the hunt was obvious. Yifan was thrilled to be able to leave the castle again, albeit with a heavy security system. Yixing had taken to spending dinnertime in the library, throwing himself full force into researching the curse. He was determined to find a cure for one very selfish reason: for Yifan to look at him with that fond expression again. Joonmyun would often find him curled up in the armchair beside the fireplace where they used to spend hours as kids, with a book, quill and notebook on the side table. He refused to talk about Yifan, changing the subject every time it was brought up and avoiding all contact with the prince. Yifan did not have to actively avoid him because he was doing all the hard work.

“Are you never going to forgive him?” Joonmyun asked the prince, two days before the hunt. The two of them were sharpening the tips of their arrows in preparation and also, taking a break from the archives of the library.

Yifan hummed, focusing his gaze on the arrow tip.

“Yifan, I asked you a question,” the lord raised his voice and the prince looked up from his arrows, an annoyed look on his face.

Yifan would never admit it but he missed his best friend. He missed how easily he could just pull Yixing into bed with him whenever he was feeling lonely, he missed hearing Yixing's laughter every time he made a good joke, he missed the dimple that appeared every time his advisor gave him that sweet gentle smile. He missed a lot of things about Yixing but he was still mad, still too proud to admit that he wanted his best friend, his shadow back. “It was unforgivable,” he said stubbornly, striking the arrow too hard, causing it to slip and slash across his finger. “Damn it!” he cried out in frustration and

Joonmyun hurried over to look. “We need to get that cleaned up. If Yixing was here, he’d have a handkerchief but we’ll have to go the infirmary to get that wrapped up.”

The prince glared at him and put his finger into his mouth to suck the blood off. His friend grimaced at him but they left their arrows to get his hand looked at. _I miss him._ Yifan admitted to himself as Zhang Cheng wrapped up his hand.

 

Two days later, much to Yifan’s consternation, his father had changed his mind and refused to allow him to go unless Yixing rode as well.

“But his father needs him here!” the prince pleaded, unwillingly.

The King had proclaimed that at dinner and Zhang Cheng had gotten a strange look on his face before he allowed his son to ride. Yixing had made no comment and instead nodded quietly. Yifan had fumed silently while Joonmyun practically danced a jig in the seat beside him.

“I trust no one to look after you as well as Yixing does. Besides, it will give you a chance to fix whatever was broken between the two of you, in case you think I haven't noticed,” the king commented wryly as he got ready for bed.

“Why is everyone so concerned about our relationship? So this is a ploy for us to make up? We just had a disagreement!” Yifan folded his arms across his chest, looking like a spoilt kid who had not gotten what he wanted.

“Your _disagreement_ is making everyone uncomfortable so do yourself and everyone a favour and make up with him.” Yi Chen narrowed his eyes and shooed his son out of the room. “Now go, we have an early morning ahead of us and you need to be fully rested.”


	10. Chapter 9

“Damn it!” Yifan cursed and swore as he pulled the cotton shirt on. His large fingers fumbled over the buttons and he swore again.

“Yifan ge! Hurry up or they will leave without you!” Zitao yelled from outside the bathroom. He sighed internally. As much as Zitao despised how disgustingly close Yifan and Yixing were, he missed the advisor because without him, he was the one who had to chase around after the prince.

“Wait a second! Damn buttons won't go right!” Yifan roared, undoing one that he had done to the wrong hole.

“The buttons. He needs help buttoning his shirt. They are always too small for his hands.”

Zitao spun around when he heard that. “Xing Ge!”

Yixing stifled a smile when he heard the prince cursing loudly from behind the door. “Go and help him, Zitao. I'll tell his father.”

Zitao blinked and the advisor was out of the room before he could say anything. The prince had gone silent behind the door. “Yifan ge?” Slowly, the door opened and Zitao stepped back in shock when Yifan poked his head out, shirt still half opened.

“Was that Yixing?” The prince asked in a hushed voice. His friend nodded slowly, looking at Yifan as if he had grown another head. “Help me with this damn shirt, will you?” Yifan muttered and gestured at his open chest.

Zitao flushed and took another step back. “Can't you do them?” He shifted uncomfortably.

“Yixing always does them. They're so small,” Yifan protested. “Come on or they'll leave without us!”

With his face as red as a tomato, Zitao fumbled with the buttons and at last, they were ready.

 

“Finally, I thought we would have to leave without you!” Joonmyun cried, exasperated when the prince appeared in the courtyard. The rest of the hunting party had already mounted and ready to leave.

Murmuring apologies, Yifan made his way over to his horse which to his dismay, was standing next to Yixing’s Scorpio. “This is a set up,” he muttered to himself as he stuck a toe in the stirrup, swinging himself into the saddle. Antares snorted and side stepped a little, sensing his rider’s tension.

Yixing kept his eyes forward, hands resting easily on the pommel. The prince shortened his reins and stared up towards the front, refusing to acknowledge Yixing's presence. The king had put them into the center of the hunting party for maximum security and they were surrounded.

Joonmyun gave Yixing a pitying look as he pulled his horse up alongside him when he noticed Yifan’s sour expression. This was not going to be fun.

 

-

 

“Where in the world is it?” Zhang Cheng muttered to himself as he rummaged through the dusty trunk. He was searching through the vaults alone as Yixing had been relegated to join in the hunt for the prince’s safety.

The Zhangs had been in residence ever since the first Wu King ascended the throne, and their history was nearly as long as the Wu’s, only of less importance. However, what the healer was trying to remember now could be one of the most important pieces of history that could uncover the reason behind the first uprising and make a connection to the present curse on the first born Wu.

Zhang Cheng pushed a dusty tome to the side and set aside a few scrolls of parchment so old that the paper was turning brown and gasped in relief, inhaling several centuries old dust while he did so. Coughing harshly, he pulled out the history textbook he had been given as a child. The book was as heavy as it had been when he was younger and it took great effort to lift it out of the trunk. Turning the yellowed pages gently, he found the chapter he was searching for.

 

_One of the most famed healers in history was Zhang Wulian. It was rumored that he could bring the dead back to life but that was what it was; just a rumor. The one thing that made Wulian so famed was that he had laid with a sorceress named Raven, fathered a child with her, yet he had managed to escape from her evilness. The sorceress was a woman of great beauty and the son she had borne was said to be as beautiful as the moon herself. It was said that he had the dark eyes and fair skin of his mother and dark curly hair inherited from his father. The sorceress loved her child. She loved him more than she ever loved her husband. Wulian loved his son as well and for a while, they were happy._

 

_Until one day, Wulian discovered that the sorceress had begun to teach the child dark magic and fearing that his son would grow up to become like his mother, he stole the child away in the night which enraged the sorceress. Wulian had learnt a bit of magic on his own by then and placed protective charms around his home to keep the boy safe. One day while he was gathering herbs with his son, she appeared and cast a deadly bolt aimed at Wulian's heart, determined to retrieve her son. It was then that the child leapt in front of his father, taking the bolt to the heart. He died in his father’s arms._

 

_Raven mourned her son’s death and vowed to avenge him though his death was through no fault of the father. She led the magical rebellion and rose up against the current king, invading the palace where her former lover lived, determined for vengeance. Even till today, some say she still mourns her dead son. Many Zhang children have been born after the boy but none have even come close to the beloved son of the sorceress, Raven._  

Zhang Cheng went on to read a long list of the young boy’s attributes, written by the boy’s distraught father who wanted to remember his son. As he went through the list, his face went paler and paler. Nearly every characteristic on the list described one person.

“Cheng? What are you doing?” His wife’s voice filtered into his ear as he rose to his feet like a zombie. “What's wrong, love?” Liu Xing looked at the healer’s face worriedly.

“Read this.” Zhang Cheng pointed to the book, face white as a sheet.

His wife’s eyes flicked across the text and she too, lost the color on her face as she neared the end of the text. “You think…” she whispered.

Zhang Cheng nodded grimly in answer. Fear became a monster rearing its head in his chest. “And he’s out there with them.” 

 

-

 

Yixing leaned forward out of the saddle as much as he could to take the weight off of his horse as they galloped across the moors. The sun was high in the sky, making the moors glow green. With the sky so blue and clear, it was hard to imagine that anything could ruin this day, except for the fact that his best friend continued to ignore him. Scorpio whinnied in delight and asked for more rein as he stretched his neck forward.

Yixing could feel Yifan's leg pressed close to even as he dug his heels into the horse's side and tried to overtake him. The forest loomed ahead, dark and green, an ominous looking stretch across the bright golden moors. The clear call of the hunting horn sounded and the entire party slowed their horses to enter the forest.

The air seemed to go still as the king and his party stepped into the forest. The entire forest seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Yixing glanced around him uneasily as the hunting party moved forward, hoof beats silenced by the soft earth. The wind rustled softly through the leaves and there was no sign of any wildlife. Then, one of the hounds started barking. The thrill of the hunt was infectious as the party broke into a run towards the hounds that were barking up a storm.

Caught up in the confusion, Yifan took the chance and slipped out of the party easily by holding back Antares even though he was agitated and wanted to run with the herd. He scowled when he noticed Yixing doing the same; of course his best friend would notice. Yixing shot him a look and spurred his horse forward to block the Prince's way as he tried to turn in another direction.

"Damn it!" Yifan cursed when he had to pull on the reins hard to stop Antares from crashing headfirst into Yixing's horse. Antares snorted in annoyance as the rest of the hunting party ran on ahead, leaving the two of them at the back of the party. The prince tried to turn his Arab around but Yixing was faster, wheeling around to face him.

"Move aside," Yifan growled coldly as he stared into Yixing's serene face. His calmness annoyed him. How could he look so unaffected when their friendship was falling to pieces around them?

"You're not allowed to go wandering off," the advisor murmured softly, refusing to budge.

"Too bad," Yifan murmured, using the trick Yixing himself had taught him before. He pulled his legs behind the girth of the saddle and kicked hard. Antares reared up, snorting and his forelegs lashed outwards towards Yixing.

Yixing screamed. The sudden shadow startled Scorpio and he jumped forward, catching his rider by surprise. Yixing snatched up a handful of mane just in time as his horse plunged forward in a blind gallop. He wrapped his arms into Scorpio's mane, heart pounding in his chest as he tried to calm his bolting horse. He yanked on the reins but the Andalusian had taken the bit between his teeth and he had lost all contact with him. Scorpio was running in the wrong direction and he needed to stop him before they got lost.

“Woah! Woah, boy! It's okay!” Yixing cried out in shock when Scorpio leapt over a massive log and tripped. His heart jolted up to his throat as he pulled on the reins to right his horse. The bit jerked backwards into the Andalusian’s mouth and he struggled upright, eyes rolling and white sweat foaming on his neck. “Easy, take it easy.”

Yixing gasped when he was pulled forward, twining his fingers into the white mane of his horse. Dimly, he could hear another horse crashing through the undergrowth after him but at that moment, all his focus was on trying to stop his horse from killing himself.

 

-

 

Luhan leapt over the stream easily, nosing around the forest floor for flowers to eat. There was a very particular flower that grew only in that section of the forest and he loved the taste of it. He sniffed along the earth, searching for the particular scent that flower gave out. A flash of purple and blue caught his eyes and he made a sound of delight as he ambled over to snatch at the petals.

“Woah! Scorpio!”

 

The stag pricked up his ears when he heard a scream and horse hooves thudding heavily on to the soft earth.

 

“Scorpio, no!”

 

Luhan pulled the flower out of the earth and broke into a run to have a look at what was going on, despite Shinwoo’s warnings echoing in the back of his mind. He leapt out into a clearing just as a magnificent white horse crashed into it. The horse looked terrible, the whites of his eyes showing and nostrils red with stress. At the sight of him, the horse reared up and the screams of a rider greeted his ears. Luhan watched in horror when the horse threw his rider clear of the saddle, the poor man flying backwards and landing painfully hard on his side.

 

“Yixing!”

 

Luhan had just started towards the unconscious man when another horse, a storm black Arabian tore into the clearing, barely able to stop before the rider was flinging himself off the horse and running towards the fallen man.

 

-

 

Yixing’s heart thundered in his ears and his sweaty hands were slipping on the reins as Scorpio crossed a river, tripped, and nearly fell. All he could do was cling on tight and pray that he would not fall. His muscles tensed as Scorpio leapt over yet another fallen log and his breath caught in his throat. They passed between two trees that were thicker and taller than the rest and Scorpio started to slow, fatigue showing in his body.

Just as Yixing thought they could get out of this alive, a stag leapt into the clearing carrying an odd purple and blue flower in its mouth. Scorpio whinnied in shock and reared. The sudden movement caught the advisor off guard and his heart flew to his mouth as suddenly he was flying through the air. Wind whistled past his ears before he heard an awful snap as he hit the ground hard on his side. The pain was like an explosion rocketing through his entire body as he lay there, winded from the impact. Black spots danced in front of his eyes and there was a ringing in his ears. He heard someone call his name before everything went black.

"Yixing! Yixing!" Yifan flung himself off his horse and broke into a run. He had panicked the moment he saw Scorpio bolt, and had chased after them, terrified that Yixing would be killed.

Yixing’s face was pale and there was sweat trickling down his temples. His shirt was soaked with sweat as well. Then he noticed crimson red blood was soaking through Yixing’s gray shirt, staining the fabric. Yifan did not dare to move him, afraid that he might aggravate the injury. His best friend’s eyes were closed and his breathing was becoming shallower. The prince was petrified as he knelt by his friend, not knowing what to do.

A soft muzzle thrust into his hand then he looked up. A stag with gentle eyes and golden horns was standing right beside him, chocolate eyes looking directly into his. “Lu…Luhan?” Yifan whispered, hardly daring to believe what he was seeing.

The stag bobbed his head gently and nuzzled into his neck. Then the creature stepped away.

Yifan’s eyes followed him. “Where are you going?” he asked, rising to his feet. Luhan thrust his head in Yixing’s direction vigorously and Yifan felt as if he understood. “Stay here?” He wanted to be sure and the stag nodded.

Luhan could hardly believe his eyes. His brother, standing right in front of him. This was the moment he had dreamed of his entire life. Yifan was staring at him with those amber eyes, full of worry and guilt. He nodded his head before turning and breaking into a run.

He had to get back to the castle and get Shinwoo. From the way Yixing was bleeding, the prince guessed that he may have broken a rib. Moving him was dangerous because the broken bone was sharp and could pierce his lung. Luhan ran at full speed out of the forest and across the moors, very aware of how little time they had. He reared onto his hind legs and kicked at the door frantically.

Shinwoo’s face when he opened the door was one of shock because the prince never returned that early when the sun had barely passed overhead. Luhan lurched forward and gripped the edge of Shinwoo’s shirt with his teeth. He tugged hard and the man came tumbling with him.

“What on earth! Luhan! What’s happened?” Shinwoo asked, feeling stupid the moment the words passed his lips. The prince tugged again, eyes full of urgency. Of course Luhan could not answer him. The stag thrust his head in the direction of the forest and Shinwoo frowned. “You want me to go in there?”

Luhan nodded and stamped his hooves. Time was ticking. He bleated impatiently as Shinwoo ran to get his horse. The moment the caretaker was in the saddle, Luhan turned tail and ran across the meadow, the horse following close behind. He skittered lightly over the damp earth, retracing his footsteps back to where he had asked Yifan to stay.

Shinwoo's jaw dropped when he saw the two horses and the golden haired prince kneeling by the side of an unconscious man. “Good lord.” he whispered, moving over to touch the prince to make sure he was not dreaming.

“Can you help him?” Yifan looked up pleadingly at the strange man his brother had brought. The colour had completely drained out of Yixing’s face and he was having difficulty breathing.

Shinwoo snapped out of his daze and knelt to look at the young man. “What happened?” he asked, carefully resting a hand on the man’s stomach. He moved his fingers upwards to the blood soaked material on the right side of his chest and winced. _A broken rib._ He could feel the sharp bone through the man’s shirt. The injured man was worryingly pale, his shallow breathing the only indication that he was still alive.

“His horse threw him and he landed on his side,” Yifan mumbled, supplying information he knew the stranger needed. “He has hemophilia,” he added, another vital information.

Alarmed, Shinwoo lifted his head. “We need to bind and splint that bone but I am no healer. Any movement the wrong way could pierce his lung and kill him.”

Yifan’s face paled at the man’s words.

“How fast can you get to the palace?” the caretaker asked as he reached for the knife strapped to the young man’s hip. With a swift move, he sliced open his shirt and stared, horrified. The tip of the broken bone peeked out from the man’s chest and there was a lot of blood. “He needs a healer fast.”

Yifan scrambled to his feet, staring in terror.

“Luhan will go. He will be faster than your horse who is weary.” Shinwoo nodded at the stag and Luhan’s ears pricked up.

The prince pulled a ring from his finger and removed the pendant from his best friend’s neck. “Take this to the first guard you see. He will take them to the healer.” He fastened the pendant and the ring around his brother’s neck.

Luhan nodded, licking his face as a way to console him before bounding off.

Shinwoo stripped off his shirt and wrapped it gently around the young man in hopes of stemming the bleeding.

“Who are you?” Yifan asked quietly, tenderly brushing back a lock of hair from Yixing’s forehead.

“Shinwoo. I'm your brother’s caretaker.”

The prince picked up his friend’s hand which was cold to the touch. He bit back a soft sob. This was all his fault.

 

-

 

The hunting party at that moment, was in a terrible panic. The prince had disappeared and the king was worried sick. The guards had only noticed that the prince and his friend was missing when they had stopped to give the horses a chance to rest.

Yi Chen cursed himself for allowing Yifan to join him on the hunt; he should have known that the prince would defy him. His only consolation was that Yixing was with him. No matter how strained their relationship was for the time being, he could always trust the advisor to take care of his son. But he still feared for his son's safety because the forest was Raven's territory and Yifan was at risk the longer he remained alone.

"Perhaps they have returned to the palace," Duke Junseo suggested, seeming to sense the underlying fear in the king's heart. Yi Chen highly doubted that but he remained silent, not wanting to rile up his hunting party.

"Your Majesty." Zitao appeared in front of the king, head bowed.

"Any sign of him?" The king asked eagerly, hope flaring in his chest. But one glance at the guard's dejected face and he got his answer.

Junseo grasped his friend's arm gently. "Let's return to the palace. It's getting late." 

"No, I will not leave my son out here in the dark," Yi Chen snapped, turning away so that no one could see the panic in his face.

"But they could have returned to the palace upon realising that they could not find us. It is easier to leave the forest than to look for us," the duke said soothingly. "He could be dead for all I know," the king whispered when Zitao had left them, to aid the other lords.

"Yixing is with him. I doubt he would let Yifan kill himself," Junseo murmured. "Come, we will return to the palace and plan what to do next there. We are all weary." Reluctantly, Yi Chen allowed his friend to lead him away to mount his horse and make for home.

"What is that?" Joonmyun gasped when he saw a glimmer of gold streaking across the open moors, heading towards the town.

Yi Chen looked up and his mouth dropped open. He would know the stag anywhere. "Let's go!" he cried, kicking his horse into action to follow the animal racing across the moors.

Joonmyun followed suit, gut instinct telling him that something may have happened in the forest for the stag to leave the safety of it.

 

-

 

Luhan tore across the moors as if he had wings. He hardly noticed the strain on his body and the hard packed earth of the moors beneath his feet. All he could think of was the young man lying on the ground with his life's blood draining out of him. The memory of the look on his little brother's face was enough to spur him on, sinewed body stretching to its limits.

The wind whistled past his face and the sky was darkening rapidly. Storm clouds that had not been there before loomed on the horizon. The prince ran as if his life depended on it, up the mountain path and into the town, ignoring the astonished looks of the townsfolk. His only aim was the healer in the palace. The scenery around him seemed to blur with how fast he was moving as he raced towards the palace.

The guards standing at the iron gates seemed just as astonished to see him. _Time,_ he thought. _Yixing has no time!_ The prince reared onto his hind legs and screamed as loud as he could. The guards were startled by this display and did not dare to approach him. Panting and trembling with sweat rolling off his shoulders, Luhan stumbled to the closest guard and thrust his muzzle into his stomach in desperation.

"Why, I think he wants to enter the palace!" the guard cried out in shock and the prince nodded, dark eyes pleading.

"What's that on his neck?" the other guard asked, moving closer to inspect the stag, now that he was not rearing.

"Steady now, old fellow. Easy," the guard closest to him murmured as his hand reached out to touch the prince's neck. Luhan remembered his brother's words and stilled, allowing the guard to undo the clasp on the necklace and lift it off his neck.

"It's the prince's ring!" The guard cried out in astonishment and looked at the stag in shock. "How did he get it?"

"And this is that healer's necklace. I remember it well. The prince had it commissioned for his birthday."

Luhan nodded his head and stamped his hooves urgently. _Hurry, hurry!_ In this moment, he wished he could speak and tell them that time was tight and Yixing could be dying as the stupid humans stood in front the gates talking.

"Take it in to the healer. I'll send for the queen and escort this guy in," the guard who had taken the necklace commanded. The other guard nodded and ran off, jewelry in hand. "You want to come in, old fella?" The guard move closer to the stag and Luhan allowed him to set a hand on his shoulder and guide him in. The guard led him through the courtyard and helped him up the marble steps which were extremely slippery beneath his hooves and ordered the stunned guards at the doors to open for them.

In any other given situation, Luhan would have been awed by the grandeur of the palace but with Yixing's life weighing heavily on his shoulders, he paid no attention to the softness of the red carpet beneath his hooves or how the light glistened off the crystal chandeliers that adorned the ceilings like he usually would and instead walked straight ahead, having eyes for only the queen who had rushed into the throne room upon receiving the news. Luhan lifted his head as his mother opened her arms, eyes glittering with joyful tears. He only managed to make a single sound, a soft whine before he collapsed onto the carpet, completely drained of energy.

 

 


	11. Chapter 10

“Doctor Zhang!”

Zhang Cheng spun around from where he was rooting around in the bottom of a chest in hopes of finding more information, to see a guard standing in front of him, panting and sweating. Evidently, he had run straight for him. His heart rate suddenly picked up, fearing that something terrible must have happened to his son as the guard held up the pendant Yixing always wore around his neck. Sweat beaded at the edge of his brow as he strode forward and reached for the jewelry.

“What happened?” he asked, trying to steady his voice, even when his mind was racing with a thousand and one images of what could have happened to his beloved son.

“I… I don't know. There was a stag, with golden horns and…and…” the guard stuttered, frightened by the look on the healer’s face.

“A stag? Where?” Zhang Cheng’s face drained of colour and he started for the door, cradling his son’s necklace in his hands.

“He is in the throne room with the Queen.”

The healer broke into a run. _No, no, no!_ He thought. Everything was happening too fast and his son was going to be caught in the middle of it.

“Cheng?” Liu Xing called out to him when he raced past her in a blind panic to reach the throne room. When her husband did not answer, the gardener hurried after him, worry filling her heart.

 

-

 

Lan Ling flung herself at her son’s feet, carefully cradling his head. The stag was sweating and trembling badly, long lashes fluttering ever so slightly. The door to the throne room burst open and the healer ran in, looking horrified. Captain Huang had already cleared the room of guards the moment he was informed so the room was empty save for the captain who stood at the door to warn off any servant or guard.

“Luhan,” the queen whispered, hardly daring to believe her eyes. Her son, her precious son was lying on the carpet in front of her, as solid and real as she had imagined.

“Your Highness.” The anguish in the healer’s voice was clear and Lan Ling looked up from her star struck demeanour and froze. Zhang Cheng stood in the doorway of the room, sweating and panting. The pain in his eyes was clear as he held up a pendant she knew belonged to Yixing. But what made her blood run cold, was the silver ring that had been threaded onto the chain. “Yifan!” she gasped, voice trembling as the healer approached her, wearing a matching expression.

“They are in trouble,” Zhang Cheng whispered. The stag at their feet stirred and the movement attracted their attention.

Luhan could sense their gazes on him the moment his eyes opened. He struggled, legs kicking harshly on the ground until he was back on his feet. Snorting, he glanced outside the window. The sky was black and rain was beginning to pour down. He glanced at the man holding the necklace and deduced that this must be Yixing’s father. Thinking of the advisor’s state, he lunged forward and grabbed the healer’s shirt with his teeth and tugged.

“Luhan!” The queen gasped, reaching forward to stop her son but the healer stilled her hand.

“He wants us to follow him,” Zhang Cheng stated, easily understanding the stag’s behaviour. “Is anyone injured?” the healer asked to which Luhan nodded furiously, stamping his hooves hard. “Let me get my things. Ziyuan, I'll meet you outside!” Zhang Cheng called out to Captain Huang, who nodded and opened the doors.

Luhan spared a glance for his mother before hurrying after the healer. Outside, the rain was falling heavily in sheets, causing the world to become a blur. The sky was so dark that it looked like night, even though it was only evening time. Luhan skittered down the marble steps and almost crash landed at the base in his hurry.

He snorted and got up, looking as dignified as he could just as Captain Huang appeared with two horses in tow. He was wrapped in a warm cloak as he double checked the girths. The stag wandered over curiously to look. The captain smiled at him as he pulled the girth a notch tighter. They both turned when they heard the thuds of heavy hoof beats striking the cobblestones of the courtyard and the king’s grey stallion came into view.

Yi Chen flung himself off his horse and came tearing across the courtyard to stare at his son. Luhan bleated softly and the king’s eyes started to look suspiciously shiny. “They are not back,” he said. It was not a question.

“Go inside, my king. It is cold and you must be weary,” Captain Huang said as he tucked the saddle flaps into place.

“Baba, where are you going?” Zitao asked as he led his horse towards the stables.

“The prince and Yixing have yet to return. I'm going with Zhang Cheng to look for them.” The captain directed the last sentence at the king and Yi Chen protested, “I will go with you.”

“No, you will not.” They all turned towards the new voice and Zhang Cheng stepped out, carrying a satchel which he carefully packed into the saddlebag hanging from his horse. “You and Junseo will go straight inside and get warm. Your wife is worried.”

The king’s mouth opened to protest but the healer shot him a look that gave no room for argument. His eyes were rimmed with red, suggesting that he had been crying.

Zhang Cheng swung himself into the saddle and Luhan moved beside him. “We will send word when we find him.” He gestured for the stag to move in front of him. Yixing’s necklace hung on his father’s neck with the prince’s ring and the healer fingered the ring anxiously. “Come on!”

Luhan reared up at the call and leapt forward, ignoring the way the rain had drenched his body. He dimly heard the horses break into a gallop to keep up with him and he strained forward, forgetting about the pain in his muscles as he ran through the falling rain.

 

-

 

Yifan laid his cloak over his best friend as the rain poured down onto them. Yixing’s lips had turned blue and his face remained a sickly colour.

Shinwoo watched with the hood of his cloak pulled up as the prince knelt by his friend, refusing to leave his side even to take shelter. The prince’s blonde hair was matted to his forehead and he was shivering violently. The bleeding around Yixing’s wound had finally stopped but he did not look any better.

Yifan bit his lip as a hot tear splashed onto his best friend’s face. “Xing, I'm so so sorry,” he whispered, tightening his fingers around Yixing’s pale hand. His lips parted as if he wanted to say more but just then, hoof beats echoed throughout the silent clearing over the roaring of the rain and the prince leapt to his feet as two hooded figures rode into the clearing along with a golden stag whose coat was dark and matted with sweat and rainwater.

Zhang Cheng threw himself from his horse, hands fumbling with the flap of the saddlebag. “Yixing?” he whispered as the prince moved closer to him.

Yifan bit his lip and nodded, face pale. “Scorpio threw him. He broke a rib,” he murmured, too ashamed of himself to look the healer in the eye.

Zhang Cheng kept his composure until he saw the damage. “Yixing!” he gasped in horror at the sight of the broken bone. Feeling sick, he knelt to see just how bad the break was. “Has he woken?” The thought of his son going through that much pain making his stomach turn.

“No.” Yifan knelt as well, taking up Yixing’s hand as Zhang Cheng shifted.

“Thank god.” Captain Huang commented as he crouched beside the injured man.

Zhang Cheng pulled out a syringe full of morphine and handed it to Yifan. “Give this to him. If he wakes while I reset the bone, it would be excruciating for him.”

Yifan took the syringe and with shaking hands, injected the drug into his best friend’s arm.

Zhang Cheng gently palpated Yixing’s chest and thanked god that the rib had only broken in one area. He pulled out a small tub of soft paraffin and smoothed a liberal amount to aid the bone in sliding back into place.

Yifan wrapped his fingers around his friend’s hand and turned his head away as the healer pushed the bone slowly back into place.

The moment the bone was back into place, Zhang Cheng pulled out a small bottle of beer and started cleaning the area where the broken bone had pierced through. As he dabbed the alcohol onto the wound with a cotton swab that had thankfully stayed dry because of the water resistant leather that made up his saddle bag, Yixing stirred awake.

“Papa?” he whispered weakly and the healer looked up quickly.

“Xing,” Zhang Chen gasped in relief.

Yifan swallowed back a sigh of relief and gripped his hand tighter. “Fan, why are you crying?” he murmured as his fingers twitched weakly.

The prince sniffed and then laughed. He had not even realized that tears had started sliding down his face; he was so relieved. “I'm… I’m sorry,” he stuttered, hand going up to brush a lock of wet hair away from Yixing’s forehead. The advisor smiled weakly before the smile vanished, turning into a cry of agony when his father splinted the break and bound it in gauze. “Papa, it hurts!”

"The castle is not far." Shinwoo stepped out from the shadows with Luhan leaning heavily against him. 

Captain Huang laughed and held out his arms. “You! Rascal, you should have come out earlier.” Shinwoo embraced his friend.

Zhang Cheng gave him a tight smile, still obviously worried about his son’s condition. “He cannot walk.” He wrapped an arm around Yixing’s shoulders and helped him sit up.

Yixing winced as the position shifted the splint and flexed his fingers gently. “Is Scorpio okay?” he asked, as Yifan put an arm under his legs and lifted him, bridal style.

“His legs are fine, just a little hot and swollen. That should go down by tomorrow hopefully,” Captain Huang answered him and the advisor sighed in relief. “He’s pretty scratched up though.”

Luhan moved forward and nudged at his brother’s hand. Yifan blinked at him and the stag pointed his nose at Yixing, who was clinging to him. “You want me to put him on your back?” The prince gaped at his brother incredulously.

The stag nodded and butted at his hand again.

Yifan looked at his best friend who shrugged. “I'm pretty much helpless right now. And even though you’re strong, I doubt you can carry me that far.” He laughed at the look of mock hurt on the prince’s face.

“Are we ready?” Shinwoo interrupted.

Yifan sighed and settled his friend gently on the back of the stag. Yixing curled his fingers into the loose skin around Luhan’s neck and straddled the stag; much like a horse. Yifan kept a hand on his back and they walked like that, with the four horses behind him as Luhan led them out of the forest towards Castle Adfelion.

 

-

 

The morphine started to wear off as Yifan carried him past the oak doors. Yixing bit his lip hard when he felt the first wave of pain. He broke out into a cold sweat as the pain in his chest intensified. His grip around the prince's neck tightened as he swallowed back the moan that threatened to come out of his mouth.

"You okay?" Yifan murmured and Luhan swung his head round, hearing the question. Yixing whimpered softly, not wanting his father to hear and worry. "Should I lay him down somewhere?" Yifan spoke louder.

Zhang Cheng nodded, reaching into the satchel to pull out another syringe of morphine. "Give this to him only when the pain gets really bad," he instructed.

Luhan took the edge of his brother's shirt in his mouth, tugging him in the direction of his room. He thanked god that the flooring of the castle was all made of stone, the only exception being the library, so he would not have a repeat of his undignified exit from the palace earlier that day. The stag pawed gently at the door of the first room they came to and Yixing reached out a hand to grab the doorknob.

Luhan pointed his muzzle in the direction of the four poster bed. Yifan nodded, gently taking Yixing in his arms and laying him onto it.

Yixing groaned in pain as the morphine wore off, sweat dripping from his body as he clenched his fists, the veins on his pale arms showing clearly. "Give me the morphine," he gritted out as another wave of pain hit him.

"Your father said..." Yifan started, looking at the syringe in his hand nervously.

"I don't give a damn what he said!" Yixing gasped, digging his nails into his palms in an effort to suppress the urge to scream. _Calm down. He may be your friend but he is the prince._ He clenched his jaw and his muscles trembled as he did so. "Just give me the damned drug, Your Highness."

"Don't call me that," Yifan muttered as he moved closer to the bed. He knew he should not, but he hated seeing Yixing in pain. Morphine could be addictive especially if used too frequently and injected directly into the vein.

The advisor closed his eyes and inhaled. _Breathe, Yixing. Breathe. It's not that bad. You've broken your arm before. Stop being a wimp._ He chanted in his head as the next wave of pain swept through him, more intense than anything he had ever felt in his life.

"Yixing?" Yifan called out his name quietly, wondering if he had fallen asleep.

His best friend opened his eyes and glared at him. "I need the drug, Yifan."

Before the prince could formulate a reply, Zhang Cheng walked into the room.

"I only have two more doses of the drug, son. If you can articulate that you need the drug, you don't need them," the healer spoke sternly to his son. Yixing whined as his father approached the bed, leaning down to check on the broken rib. He carefully removed the gauze bandage and Yifan moved out of the way as he took away the splint. "I'm going to set it properly now. You may want to look away, Yifan," Zhang Cheng warned as he shifted to a good position.

"Give me your hand," Yifan murmured to his best friend, his palm opened for Yixing to take and Luhan watched in amazement as the advisor took it without a word.

 

When they were children and Zhang Cheng had to set Yixing's broken arm back into place, Yifan had let him squeeze his hand as the healer moved the bone into place. The younger had been there when Yifan dislocated his shoulder, falling from his horse, and he too held the prince’s hand then as the healer moved the bone slowly back into place. Yifan remembered gritting his teeth to hold in his cries of pain because he had refused morphine because as his twelve year old self had declared: _"Xingxing didn't use it when he was younger, so I won't now."_ He regretted it of course, but Yixing had not laughed at him when he had cried about it afterwards, instead, he had lain with him when he could not sleep because of the pain.

All those memories came back to him as Yixing's father counted down. "Inhale." He heard Yixing's sharp intake of breath and then his hand felt like it was being crushed between a vice as the healer shifted the bone into the correct position and Yixing squeezed his hand.

Luhan watched the whole exchange with slight envy in his chest. He wondered what would have happened, had he not been cursed. Would it have been his hand his brother held to ease his pain? Would Yixing still be so close to his brother? He was so deep in thought that he barely noticed that the healer had finished and was now rewrapping the area in plaster bandages.

"Thank god, Shinwoo stocked up on these. I guess being a stag means lots of broken bones huh?" Zhang Cheng smiled when his son laughed then winced, shooting him a reproachful smile.

"Don't make me laugh, Papa. It hurts more," Yixing admonished as Yifan stroked his sweat soaked hair.

The healer leaned over and pressed a kiss onto his son's forehead. "Get some sleep, little star. I'll see you in the morning."

Yixing sighed and leaned into his father's touch before his eyelids slid shut. The closeness between Yixing and his father made Luhan's heart ache and his mind started to wonder again.

After his father left, Yixing turned his head slowly to face Yifan. "Have you forgiven me?” he whispered, looking up at the prince's beautiful amber eyes.

Yifan opened his mouth but nothing came out. He swallowed and cleared his throat as tears pricked his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I did that to you. I'm sorry, Xing. I never meant to hurt you." His voice cracked at the end of the sentence and he cradled Yixing's hand in his, terrified that he had come so close to losing him.

"I missed you, god I did. I missed you so much. I forgive you, just don't, don't keep secrets from me anymore," Yifan rambled on, afraid that he would cry again in front of his best friend.

Yixing smiled up at him fondly. "Silly Fanfan. I never blamed you," he murmured and Yifan leaned down as Yixing reached a hand out, threading his fingers into the prince’s golden hair. "For the record, I missed you too, silly dragon." Yifan smiled at the nickname. "Will you sing me to sleep tonight, dragon? Wipe that smile off your face." Yixing teased gently, pulling Yifan closer to him.

Luhan felt as if he was intruding on something intimate as Yifan adjusted himself so that he was lying next to his best friend.

 

_I'll smile, don't wanna see you cry, just sing me a lullaby._

_I'll cry, for you to see your smile, this will be my lullaby._

 

Yifan whispered the last word when he saw Yixing's eyelids slide close as he fell into a deep sleep. The prince hummed the rest of the song softly as he removed his hand from Yixing's grip and slid off the bed. He gestured quietly to his brother and Luhan followed after him, trying his hardest to silence his hoof beats on the stone floor. Yifan laid a hand on his brother's back as they left the room together, heading for the dining hall so that they could have dinner.

"How is he?" Zhang Cheng asked as he set a bowl of soup onto the table in front of the prince.

"Asleep," Yifan answered with a smile as he picked up his spoon.

The captain had joined Shinwoo in the kitchen to aid in preparing for food for the extra mouths to feed, promising to send more supplies after they have returned to the palace. Luhan snuffled excitedly as Shinwoo set his bowl on the table. He was now too tall to eat off the floor. The caretaker smiled at the stag fondly. "He likes his salt," he explained to an astonished looking Yifan.

"Ah." The prince let out a sound of understanding as he remembered his father telling him, a very long time ago about deer.

"Better hurry, Xiao Lu. It's nearly midnight."

Luhan did not need to be told twice, his tongue lapping greedily at the bowl to finish way before anyone else.

"Where is he going?" Yifan asked curiously when his brother bounded away from the table immediately after his bowl had been drained.

"The library," Shinwoo answered the prince’s query, clearing away Luhan's bowl. "Ever since he turned sixteen, he doesn't let me in to watch his transformations anymore. He's afraid of hurting me."

 

The clock struck twelve as he finished speaking and for a moment all was quiet before the most dreadful sound echoed throughout the castle. Yifan looked up in alarm but Shinwoo merely winced and turned away. The sound was a cross between an animal's dying scream and a human's cry for mercy. The prince lifted his hands to his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. The sound was truly horrible and it raised goosebumps on his flesh as it permeated past his hands covering his ears. They all held their breaths as the clock ticked down to a minute past midnight. As the minute hand clicked into position, the screaming started to fade until there was no sound coming from above at all.

Yifan removed his hands from his ears and they waited, and waited until finally, there was a crashing sound and a young man stumbled down the stairs, dressed in a cotton shirt and black breeches. Yifan's mouth hung open as he surveyed the man that was his older brother. His hair was the same golden colour as Yifan's and their skin was as pale as each other's. The only significant difference between the two brothers were their heights and the colour of their eyes.

“You’re so short!”

Luhan scowled at the first words that passed his brother’s lips. “Oh, shut up.”

Zhang Cheng cracked up, laughing at the look of disbelief on the prince’s face. “Well, Yifan, you wanted to meet your brother. This is Luhan.”

“I…” Yifan’s mouth opened as if he wanted to say something but could not find the words. He stared at his brother with a mixture of fear and respect.

Luhan’s frown softened. “C’mere,” he whispered.

Yifan went willingly into his arms. “You’re shorter than I imagined,” he murmured as he rested his chin on his brother’s shoulder and yelped when Luhan pinched him.

“Clearly, living in a palace has taught you no manners,” Luhan said as he released his brother.

“Oh, now you sound like Yixing. The two of you will get along just fine,” Yifan retorted easily. It was strange how easily they bantered, as if they had known each other for years instead of mere hours.

“Speaking of Yixing, he may be hungry.” Zhang Cheng spoke up.

Yifan turned to the stairs. “I will wake him.”

 

-

 

“Hey, little star.” Yixing’s eyes fluttered opened and as his eyes adjusted, he was confused to see two blonde haired men standing in front of him. “Yifan?” he called out weakly and the taller male moved towards him. The bed sunk down and a hand brushed gently across his jaw.

“We brought you soup.”

Even with his drug addled mind, the advisor was still sharp enough to catch the words. “We?” he asked softly, wincing as Yifan helped him into a sitting position.

“Hello.” The shorter man settled at his other side and a veil seemed to lift from his mind.

“Luhan,” Yixing murmured.

The man smiled. “You’re Yixing.”

The advisor nodded slowly and smiled back, flashing his dimple.

“He’s cute,” Luhan commented as Yifan turned to get the bowl he had brought with him. The advisor blinked innocently up at him and turned his head just in time as the prince lifted the spoon to his lips.

“Here.” Yifan’s voice was low and soothing and Yixing opened his mouth obediently to swallow the soup.

The elder prince smirked. “The two of you look so sweet together.”

Yixing’s eyes widened and he choked on the mouthful of soup that Yifan had just put into his mouth.

“Easy.” Yifan patted Yixing’s back gently and glared at his brother.

“We’re not! Together or anything!” Yixing practically shouted, missing the way Yifan’s eyes dimmed and he turned to scoop up another spoonful of soup.

“Sure you aren’t.” Luhan said with a smirk as his brother held the spoon up to the advisor's lips again.

"Ignore him. He's being an ass," Yifan muttered when Yixing looked like he wanted to jump out of bed or punch the elder prince in the face.

"Like you. You're always an ass," Yixing grinned at the incredulous look on his best friend's face.

"Oh, that's it. Feed yourself," the prince put the spoon down with a look of mock anger on his face and Yixing whined, making grabby hands at the spoon. "Luhan ge...He called you an ass and I didn't..."

Luhan's expression was one of delight as he shoved Yifan off and took his brother’s spot.

 

-

 

Raven's eyes glittered in delight as the image of the three young men faded from her crystal. She was furious that the foolish prince had allowed such harm to come to her beloved but at the same time, he had set everything into motion. Oh well, she would get her revenge when the time came, but for now, she would sit back and watch as her plan unfolded before her eyes.


	12. Chapter 11

Luhan watched in envy as Yifan gently brushed a lock of hair away from Yixing’s eyes as he slept. The look on his brother’s face was unbelievably tender and he found it hard to believe that the two of them were nothing more than friends. “You two are very close, aren't you?” he asked, the words slightly bitter in his mouth as he remembered how close the advisor had been next to his brother in a family portrait.

“We’re best friends. It runs in the family it seems. His father was best friends with ours.” Yifan smiled softly down at Yixing’s sleeping face. The advisor never slept well on his back and he knew that due to countless nights they had spent together in bed as children. When Yixing shifted and murmured in his sleep, the prince stroked a hand gently through his friend’s dark hair and the man settled, breaths evening out.

“I was jealous of him at first,” Luhan blurted out as he watched Yifan rearrange himself on the bed.

Yifan looked up at him in surprise. “What have you got to be jealous for?”

The elder bit his lips, already regretting his words. “I didn't mean to say that out loud,” he muttered, looking down at the bedspread sulkily. Yifan laughed and smoothed down Yixing’s hair gently. But Luhan couldn't let this go. “You're my brother. I'm the one who’s supposed to be there. I'm supposed to be the one who holds your hand when you’re hurt.” Luhan blinked. _Shit, was he crying?_ He swiped a hand across his eyes.

Yifan shifted uneasily. “Lu ge,” he whispered, moving to the other side of the bed beside his brother.

“I've missed so much of your life,” Luhan mumbled as he leaned into his brother’s arms.

“Well, we could catch up now.” Yifan dropped his chin onto his brother’s shoulder and nuzzled into his neck. “You smell like the forest.” He giggled when Luhan lurched away, swatting at him.

“I practically live in it, idiot," Luhan said. "Of course, I smell like it.”

“Really? What do you see in there? Father rarely allows me out of the palace. I've only been out twice.” Yifan bumped his nose gently into the crook of his brother’s neck, curious.

“Oh, it's amazing. On most days, the forest is quiet. Not the sad quiet but the cheerful morning quiet.” Luhan enthused. “There's a willow tree I sleep under a lot because it reminds me of Mother. When the wind blows through the dangling branches, the whole area smells of lilies.”

Yifan’s eyes widened, “Even though there are no lilies around?”

The elder nodded, smiling at the look of awe on his brother’s face. “Tell me about you. Duke Junseo told me you loved playing pranks.”

Yifan straightened, a smirk crossing his handsome face. “Which ones do you want me to tell, I've got many.”

Luhan glanced at Yixing’s sleeping face and grinned. “Tell about the ones you played on him.”

Yifan’s smirk widened. "I've played plenty but one of them was particularly memorable.” The prince’s smile was gleeful as he recalled the particular day. “Yixing is petrified of frogs. He hates them. One night, I snuck one. Just one frog into his bed.” Yifan was grinning so hard now that his brother thought his face might split apart.

“Shut up, Yifan.” A hand whacked the prince across the thigh and the injured man opened one eye to glare at his best friend.

“But it was funny!” Yifan protested as he broke into laughter.

“Funny to you,” Yixing grumbled and closed his eyes again.

“What happened?” Luhan asked curiously.

“He screamed so loud half the palace guards thought he was being murdered.” Yifan’s shoulders were shaking as he struggled to contain his laughter so as not to wake Yixing again.

“And he didn't try to get you back?” Luhan looked at him incredulously.

“He got back at me by asking my tutor to make me write an essay on frogs and their uses. The essay had to be twenty inches long.” Yifan wrinkled his nose at the memory. “I learnt so much about frogs I could probably quote something.”

Luhan laughed and poked Yifan in the side. His brother’s eyelids fluttered, an indication that he was falling asleep. “You’re sleepy.” Luhan murmured, sliding off the bed. “Get some rest.” Yifan blinked sleepily at his brother and patted the place beside him quietly. The elder laughed at his gesture, “There isn’t enough room. Sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Then, to Yifan’s surprise, Luhan pressed a kiss onto his forehead before slipping out of the room with a small smile lingering on his lips.

 

-

 

Yifan was jarred awake by a terrible screaming outside the window. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he became aware of Yixing shifting awake beside him. “What on earth...?” He clapped his hands around his best friend’s ears just as Yixing’s eyes opened. “Shh. It’s nothing. Go back to sleep,” he whispered, wincing as the screams pierced his eardrums.

Yixing pressed closer to him, eyes wide with surprise and fear.

“Shall I sing to you?” Yifan asked, over the screaming and his best friend closed his eyes before nodding. He hummed the lyrics to a lullaby his mother had taught them both and Yixing seemed to settle, relaxing against his chest. The screaming ceased as soon as he reached the chorus and he got out of bed, sliding Yixing down onto the mattress gently so as not to wake him.

Padding out into the sunlight made him awake fully, eyes focused on the handsome stag standing proudly under the rays of the morning sun. The storm had passed overhead, leaving the ground soft and mushy from the rain but the air was fresh as if the passing storm had cleansed everything in its path.

Yifan seemed not to notice the captain and the healer as he stepped towards his brother, hand outstretched. The stag stood still as he petted him, pushing his muzzle into Yifan’s chest. “A pigeon has been sent home. Your father is sending a team of soldiers to fetch us back.” Zhang Cheng’s voice broke through the haze in Yifan’s mind and he turned to face the healer.

Luhan made a mournful noise and licked his brother’s hand. The prince petted the stag gently. “I will see you again. I promise,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss on his brother’s nose. Luhan huffed and turned around as Yifan pulled his hand away. “Bye,” the younger whispered as the stag bounded away into the forest.

As the soldiers assembled the stretcher, Yifan took Yixing’s hand in his. The advisor was breathing heavily in pain as the walk down the stairs had been excruciating. He leaned his head against Yifan’s chest and relaxed when his friend started to play with his hair with one hand. “Does it hurt really badly?” he asked quietly when Yixing shifted and sharply sucked in a breath.

“It's not too much, I can handle it.” The advisor breathed, grimacing as he changed his position.

“Your father has morphine, I could go and get it. You'll probably need it for the ride home anyway.” As he spoke, the healer appeared in their line of sight, evidently worried for his son.

“They are nearly ready for you,” Zhang Cheng said, reaching out to touch Yixing’s forehead. The splints had been removed that morning because the healer had feared the possibility of a lung infection and he was now paranoid and constantly checking his son’s injury.

“He will need morphine, won't he? The ride home will be rough,” Yifan asked, looking worriedly down at his best friend.

“Yes, I will give him a dose now and then he can lay down.”

Yixing did not flinch when the needle sank into the soft skin at the crook of his elbow, the yellow drug disappearing under his skin.

“Come now,” Yifan murmured, guiding his friend to his feet. The stretcher was laid out on the ground and the soldiers were waiting for them. The prince carefully settled his friend into the stretcher, arranging him as comfortably as possible. “I will be by your head, okay? Anytime you need us to stop, just let me know.” Yixing nodded quietly.

The prince had been insistent on carrying the stretcher despite the men’s protests. The four men lifted him, causing the advisor to grip the edges of the stretcher nervously, before he was handed off to the prince and the other three men who had mounted their horses. Zhang Cheng rode on his son’s other side to calm him.

“This is nerve wracking,” Yixing admitted as he was raised off the ground.

“It is.” The healer smiled at the way his son’s hands were clenching the sides of the stretcher so tightly. “We won't be going much faster than a trot so there's nothing to worry about.”

Yixing relaxed slightly but his voice shook as he said. “I’d much rather be on a horse.”

Yifan heard him and turned to smile at him. “The ground’s too rocky. It will hurt you more if you rode.”

Yixing pouted at him but laid back in the stretcher. The carriers were steady, all of them trying not to jostle him too much but that was always a possibility with how rocky the road was and the fact that they had to cross into the forest to get to the other side. Yixing had been dozing off, lulled by the gentle rocking of the stretcher when he heard a croak. His half closed eyes flew open and to his horror, he saw a raven perched at the very end of the stretcher behind the two guards. The bird cocked its head to the side, beady black eyes staring right at him. “Oh god.” He breathed, transfixed.

“What’s wrong?” Yifan asked, turning his head to look at his friend.

The bird opened its beak and cawed again, hopping a little closer. “Ra… Raven.” Yixing stuttered, eyes fixed upon the coal black bird standing at the end of his stretcher.

“What?” Zhang Cheng’s head whipped around, eyes widening in horror at the sight of the raven.

The other guards slowed their horses. “Is something the matter?”

Yixing had never seen his father so frightened before. The healer’s face was as white as a sheet when the raven cocked its head, eyes turning towards him.

“Get it off!” Zhang Cheng cried, terror running rampant through him. The raven cawed angrily when one of the guards batted at it. It spread its wings and flew over their heads, landing on top of Yixing’s chest.

“Papa!” Yixing cried out in fear, striking at the bird frantically. The raven hopped away in fright and flew off, squawking loudly.

“Are you okay?” Yifan asked quietly. “Do you want us to stop?”

Yixing shook his head even though he was clearly shaken. “I will be okay.”

The journey proceeded without a hitch after the scare but the encounter had rattled Zhang Cheng way more than he had let on. The moment they had arrived back at the palace, Liu Xing was upon them, nearly crying with relief that her son was safe.

“Mama!” Yixing allowed her to wrap him into her arms.

“What happened out there?” she asked, smoothing a lock of hair away from her son’s face.

“I fell off,” Yixing murmured into the crook of her neck, trembling slightly.

As she held her son in her arms, she noticed the look on her husband's face. The healer was pale and he never let go of Yixing’s shoulder. “We need to talk,” he said seriously, glancing towards the royal family who was having a tearful reunion of their own. The smile slid slowly off Liu Xing’s face when she realized what her husband wanted to talk about.

 

“Papa?” Yixing called when his paranoid father pulled the heavy drapes around his windows shut. “What’s wrong?” His mother was seated on the bed next to him, face devoid of its usual smile.

Zhang Cheng returned to his son’s bedside and reached for the history textbook he had brought in with him. He turned the pages slowly as Yixing sat up with interest. “Is that a textbook?” he asked as his father settled it on the bed carefully.

“It's my history textbook from back when I was a child,” the healer answered as his son leaned forward to turn the pages. Liu Xing lit the oil lamp sitting by Yixing’s bedside and watched as her son touched the book in awe. “Read this passage.” Zhang Cheng pointed to the page he had read before, voice strained.

As his eyes scanned the tiny text, Yixing could feel the weight of his parents’ gazes on him. His eyes widened as he continued and by the time he had reached the end of the passage, his eyes were as big as saucers. “So it was a Zhang?” he asked, looking stunned.

Zhang Cheng looked at his son and nodded. “It's not finished though. Here’s a list of the boy’s attributes.” He pointed to the list on the next page.

Yixing skimmed through it quickly, his heart rate picking up and something akin to terror starting to run in his veins. “I…I don't understand,” he stuttered, looking up at his parents.

“We believe that this may all just be a ploy.” Zhang Cheng spoke, face looking grim.

“What ploy? What could she possibly want?” Yixing curled into his mother when she enveloped her arms around him.

“That stag the king saw, it may have been planned,” his father said, avoiding his question.

“Why? Why would she plan something like that?” Yixing laughed, slightly hysterical from all the information he was getting.

"The King thinks she wants revenge on her pet. But it's more deep seated than that. The one she truly wants is…” Zhang Cheng cut himself off when there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” he called out and the door creaked open.

Yifan poked his blonde head around the door and smiled. “It's dinner time. I came to escort Yixing downstairs. Is he alright?” His brows creased into a frown when he saw how frightened his friend looked.

Yixing forced a smile and slid off the bed, wincing in pain as he stood. “I'm fine.” He grimaced as the Prince moved closer to him.

“I'll get him an ice pack,” Zhang Cheng murmured, tugging his wife along with him out the door.

“Sit back down. Dinner can wait until your father returns with the ice,” Yifan said and helped his friend back onto the bed.

Yixing blinked up at him and cocked his head. “Is Joonmyun still around?” he asked curiously as the prince settled beside him.

“Yeah. He's returning tomorrow though.” Yifan gave him a sad face and the advisor smiled.

“I will miss him,” the advisor murmured, leaning against the prince’s broad chest.

“I will too.” They sat in silence for a moment with Yifan’s arms curled around Yixing.

Yixing sighed and rearranged himself, nuzzling into Yifan’s chest. “I'm so tired,” he groaned, words muffled in the prince’s shirt.

“I know. But we both need to eat. You've barely gotten anything into your system except for the soup last night and the bread this morning.” Yifan stroked a hand gently through his friend’s hair and Yixing purred softly when he scratched his scalp.

The door opened quietly and Zhang Cheng stepped inside, holding up an ice pack. “Here we are.” He carefully strapped the pack around Yixing’s chest, the icy coldness of the pack insulated with a cottony material. The advisor sighed with relief when the cold pack came into contact with his sore ribs.

“Good?” Yifan grinned, looking amused.

“Very good,” Yixing answered, getting to his feet.

“C’mon boys. Let's get some dinner and you can turn in for the night. Everyone is exhausted.”

 

 

-

 

“What's with your face?” Joonmyun laughed when Yifan appeared in the dining hall for breakfast the next morning. The prince’s face was screwed up and he was shivering violently even with a heavy jacket on. Yixing on the other hand, was smiling serenely at the lord.

“Don't mind him, he's just cold.” The advisor waved a hand at the prince and slid into his seat.

“Are you okay?” Zitao asked in concern when he passed the prince. Yifan nodded even with his teeth chattering away. Yixing smirked and gently laid the prince’s napkin over his lap for him.

“Th..thanks,” Yifan managed to stutter.

The regents were startled to see their son so pale and shivering in his seat at the table. “Yifan. Your lips are turning blue.” Yi Chen said slowly as he picked up his fork. The prince stole a glance at his best friend, who was eating peacefully. There was a small smirk on the advisor’s face as he put the piece of pancake in his mouth. Yifan was shaking so badly that he could hardly pick up his utensils.

Zhang Cheng took one glance at his son’s smirking face and burst out laughing. “Yixing, you didn't!”

Yixing blinked innocently up at his father and smiled sweetly. “I didn't,” he stated, holding out a forkful of pancake for his best friend.

“Oh. Oh!” Lan Ling bit her lip and tried not to laugh; she did not want to upset her son.

Yi Chen had no such reservations; he was roaring with laughter. Yifan’s face flushed red and he stole a glance at his advisor.

Yixing’s face was glowing with mirth. _Totally worth it,_ he thought.

“What happened?” Joonmyun asked, bewildered. He had not been at the palace the first time Yixing had gotten Yifan with that prank. Zhang Cheng explained what had happened the last time all while trying to contain his laughter. Liu Xing was giggling away into her plate. “That was you?” Joonmyun’s mouth dropped open.

Earlier that morning, there had been a terrible high pitched scream coming from the wing where Yifan’s rooms were located and then there had been silence. Yifan nodded shyly, face as red as a beetroot. “How did you fall for that again?” The lord shook his head at the stupidity of his friend. “Anyway, the two of you are on good terms again, yes?”

Yixing’s smile grew wider. “Yeah.” Yifan nodded along and his best friend turned to him. “He agreed to not get back at me because he wanted me to forgive him for breaking my rib.”

 

-

 

"Thanks for that by the way. Now Joonmyun thinks I'm a girl because of how high-pitched my screams were," Yifan grumbled as Yixing draped a heavy jacket around him. His lips were blue with cold and he was still shivering, although less than before. The advisor had stoked up the fire and the two of them were flipping through books regarding curses.

Yixing was amazed that he had been able to convince the prince to look through the library for curse breakers. "He's my brother. I must try to help him," Yifan had answered his best friend's astonishment nonchalantly as he picked up a rather massive book on curse breakers. He too had been surprised at how willing he had become to research the curse. In the past, he would have found it a bore and skipped out to the archery range to shoot targets or the arena to spar with Zitao.

Now, Yifan sipped on hot chocolate as he turned the pages on a really old book on magic that Joonmyun had unearthed from somewhere deep inside the library. He was surprised that the library contained books on magic after seeing how much his bloodline abhorred it.

"Have you got any clue where to start?" Yixing asked after seeing Yifan's expression when he first opened the book.

Yifan flushed and shook his head slowly. "No. I was just following Joonmyun around that first week and we weren't researching the curse. We were searching for leads on the man that may have started this entire thing." He set down the mug and shrugged off the jacket. With how high the advisor had stoked up the fire, the place felt like a sauna.

Yixing smiled. "I managed to find bits and pieces of the curse that my father had written down but some of the ink has faded out over the years. We could start by analyzing the leftover words. When Joonmyun and I first looked over the words, we managed to fit together what we think may be the missing words. I'll read it to you." He waved a piece of parchment in front of the prince and settled into the chair next to him.

 

_"A hart’s life he shall live wh(en the su)n rises,_

_only in his true form once the ea(rth is cov)ered by mid(night sky bla)nkets._

_Neither man nor beast as the h(our of his birth pass)es._

_Standing on two legs after midni(ght has passed but fo)ur wh(en the dawn app)roaches._

_The blo(od of his fam)ily that ru(ns throug)h his veins,_

_on his twenty fifth birthday, an ar(row sh)ot true wi(ll be his ba)ne._

_In his impending doom, a ki ve his on on.”_

 

"That's it?" Yifan leaned back in his chair, face clouding with disappointment.

"Well the last line is too broken to figure out. I'll bet my money that there is something crucial in that line." Yixing set down the paper and looked up at his best friend. "So what do you think?"

The prince frowned, his eyebrows creasing as he thought hard. "There's nothing important in all these. They just state exactly what she wants to happen to him," he said, looking frustrated.

The advisor smoothed out the paper with his fingers and picked up the quill he had set out on the small table next to him. He dipped the quill into the ink well and carefully drew a circle around the words ' _The blood of his family that runs through his veins'._ Yixing raised his head to look at the prince quietly. "This part was ambiguous. But that first time you saw your brother, you had a reaction. Now, I can almost confirm that this part is talking about you."

Yifan wrinkled his brow again. "Almost? Why not confirmed?"

The advisor sighed and twirled the quill around his fingers, accidentally splattering ink on himself. He ignored the mess and set the quill down. "We had thought that the curse triggered your reaction but yesterday, when Luhan appeared, you were perfectly fine. Which complicates things. I need to talk to Father about this but the fact that you were alright yesterday makes me suspect that Raven has control over the curse."

The prince shifted in his seat, thinking back to the first time he had seen his brother. He remembered a haze clouding his mind and his fingers inching for the bow he had slung over his shoulder. He remembered Yixing yelling and then a female voice speaking to him. "That day..." He bit his lips, unsure of how much he should say. Yixing looked up at him expectantly.

"That day... there was a woman. A woman talking to me. In my head," Yifan gulped, "I don't remember very much of it but I remember black smoke and violet. Violet eyes." He remembered thinking how much those eyes reminded him of Yixing. Except that they were violet and the look in them were sultry. Yifan swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing at the thought of Yixing ever looking at him like that. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow and he sneaked a glance at his best friend.

Yixing’s slim frame seemed to glow in the heat of the room, and the blue sweater he had on clung to his body tightly. Yixing raised his eyebrows at the prince’s sudden silence.

Yifan flushed, looking away. “It’s so hot in here. I’m extinguishing the fire.” He stood up suddenly and walked over to the fireplace, hoping that his best friend would put the redness on his face down to the heat of the room. Yixing shrugged at the prince’s odd behavior and looked back down at the parchment.

Yifan tossed a bucket of water over the fire haphazardly, mind still glued to the image of those violet eyes looking like his best friend. A stray ember flew upwards from the force of the water and glanced off his hand, causing him to snap out of his daze, yelping in pain.

Yixing was out of his seat in a flash, barely registering the flare of pain in his chest before taking the burnt hand into his. “You’re such an idiot,” he scolded as he examined the red mark across the prince’s hand. He rubbed a thumb over the mark gently and Yifan winced. “It’s not too bad,” the advisor murmured, making the mistake of lifting his head to look up at the prince. Their eyes locked and Yixing felt his breath stutter.

Yifan’s tongue slipped out and he moistened his lips nervously. Unconsciously, the prince moved closer, and the advisor could feel the heat radiating from his body. Yixing could not pull his eyes away as the prince leaned towards him, one large hand wrapping around his waist. They were now chest to chest and Yixing could smell the pine and cedar wood aftershave that Yifan used.

The prince’s gaze flickered from his best friend’s hazel eyes to his plump lips and he saw Yixing gulp, his eyes following the up and down motion of his best friend’s Adam’s apple. He rested his forehead against the advisor’s, feeling the rhythmic puffs of air coming from his lips. “You’ve got one chance to push me away,” the prince whispered, voice coming out an octave lower than normal and the husky tone coursed through Yixing’s body, settling on his nether regions.

“I…I…” The advisor stuttered, words getting caught in his throat. He gasped when Yifan pulled him hard until they were pressed together, his injury momentarily forgotten as the prince’s eyes took hold of his.

“I don’t hear any complaints,” Yifan breathed, making Yixing’s heart rate pick up. Their noses were touching and the advisor could feel the prince’s hot breath fanning across his face. His eyes fluttered shut when he felt Yifan lean even closer, his best friend’s soft lips brushing gently against his.

“What on earth are the two of you doing!” There was a shriek from the door and Yixing shoved the prince away so fast that he nearly lost his balance. Zitao was standing by the doorway, hands on his hips and staring at them.

“Nothing!” Yixing gasped.

Yifan picked himself up from where he had fallen. There was a frown on his face as he rose to his feet. “Yeah, nothing,” he repeated slowly with a sharp glance at his advisor.

Yixing could feel his best friend’s disappointment as he fumbled to pick up the quills and cover the parchment.

“O...kay.” Zitao raised his eyebrows and stepped to the side as the prince moved towards the door. “Joonmyun’s going off soon, you might want to go and send him off.”

 


	13. Chapter 12

“My father told me something that may be related to the sorceress that day when we returned from Luhan’s castle,” Yixing said as he spread out a piece of parchment and Yifan settled in the chair opposite him.

“Yeah?” The prince leaned across the table to look at the massive book the advisor had set on the table prior. “What about what happened the next day?” Yifan narrowed his eyes when his best friend kept his eyes on the table.

“It turns out that the man who was responsible for the uprising is not a Wu,” Yixing continued, ignoring the prince’s question, eyes firmly fixed on the parchment spread out in front of him.

Yifan felt a wave of frustration sweep over him. After they had sent Joonmyun off that day, he had tried to catch Yixing privately again to talk about what they had done, but the advisor had vanished for the entire morning and afternoon, only to reappear in the dining room for dinner.

Since then, Yixing had actively avoided him and only when the King had asked about how the curse breaking was going did he reluctantly sit down to look over the books with the prince. “Apparently one of my ancestors had lain with the sorceress…”

“Yixing!” Yifan snapped, slamming a hand down the table forcefully. The inkwell jumped with the force, splattering its contents all over the parchment and the advisor’s hand. Yixing, much to the prince’s frustration, kept his gaze on the table even as he reached for something to clean up the mess.

“Yixing,” the prince said, softer now. Seeing no reaction from the advisor, he continued. “Are we not going to talk about it?” His best friend shifted in his seat before shaking the fringe out of his eyes.

“Talk about what?” Yixing asked, eyes not meeting Yifan’s.

The prince’s eyes narrowed. “You know what,” he dropped his voice a tone lower and Yixing dropped his gaze even further.

“Oh, that.” The advisor lifted a hand and swept aside his fringe again, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible even when his heart started thumping hard at the reminder. Truth was, he had never stopped thinking about the kiss. He had even been on the verge of telling his parents several times.

Yifan waited, eyes focused solely on his best friend. The advisor sank his teeth into his plump lower lip and worried it, avoiding the prince’s gaze.

“Let's just forget about it. I… I wish it didn't happen, to…to be honest,” Yixing stuttered over the lie when he saw the prince’s expression.

“You…wish it didn't happen,” Yifan stated, trying to contain his disappointment. He rose from his seat and moved closer to the advisor.

Yixing flinched into his seat when the prince loomed over him, face as dark as a raging storm. A large hand wrapped around the advisor’s collar and hauled him to his feet so suddenly that he cried out in surprise.

“This never happened,” Yifan whispered lowly before he crushed his mouth against his best friend’s.

Yixing gasped at the sudden pressure against his mouth, lips parting as he did so. The prince’s tongue slipped into his open mouth and the advisor accidentally released a moan, hand going up to cup Yifan’s face. He kissed back just as fervently, whatever he had been saying before flying out of his mind.

“You're such a liar, Yixing,” his best friend whispered against his lips, sucking his plump bottom lip into his mouth.

Yixing whimpered when Yifan yanked him closer, barely registering the flash of pain in his newly healed rib when the prince was licking the inside of his mouth in such a way that made his knees weak. “Your…Your Highness!” he gasped when the prince moved his sinful mouth to his sensitive neck. “You can't! People will see!” Yixing cried out when he felt teeth graze against the skin of his neck.

That jolt of reality was what made Yifan pull away, lifting a hand to touch his swollen mouth. “That didn't happen,” the prince repeated, eyes dark and he turned away, much to Yixing’s surprise, before walking out of the room. The advisor was left in the study with swollen lips, a faint red mark on his neck, staring at the retreating figure of the prince and wondering what just happened.

 

-

 

"Be careful with that," Zitao cautioned when Yifan pulled back the bowstring harder than normal. The arrow exploded from the bow so hard that when it hit the target board, it splintered. “Whoa. What's with you?” The guard looked shocked at the display. The prince shook his head and plopped himself heavily onto the ground.

“Nothing much,” Yifan muttered, trying to rid himself of the images of Yixing plaguing his mind. It had been a stupid idea to kiss him like that, but he needed closure, needed to know how Yixing truly felt. As it turned out, his best friend may or may not like him in that manner.

“This is about Yixing ge isn’t it?” Zitao settled onto the ground beside the prince and leaned back onto his hands.

“Maybe.” Yifan slurred, picking at his bowstring.

“Figures. The two of you haven’t been as glued together as much as usual. What did you do now?” The guard said, reaching over to snatch the bow out of the prince’s hand. “Cut that out before you break it.”

“Me? Why would you think I did something?” Yifan looked over at his friend, offended.

“Because Yixing ge is smart. You’re as dumb as an ox sometimes, Yifan ge,” Zitao drawled nonchalantly, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.

“You little brat.” The prince laughed and pulled the younger into a headlock, holding him down as he gasped for air. They were so preoccupied that they did not notice the advisor walking up to the range.

“If the two of you are quite finished.” Yixing's clear melodious voice floated across the archery range and Yifan turned around to see him standing at the entrance, the corner of his mouth quirked with amusement. The smile slipped off the prince’s face and he released Zitao, turning around to school his face into a cold expression.

The advisor’s smile faltered slightly but he stuck it out. “It's nearly dinnertime,” he said, eyes locked on Yifan’s form. The prince met his gaze steadily and unflinching.

The staring contest ended when Zitao exclaimed, “The two of you are hopeless! Count me out of your love slash hate fest. I'm heading for dinner.” The guard picked up the prince’s bow from the ground and practically ran from the archery range.

“Yifan…” Yixing moved towards the prince, hand outstretched.

Yifan eyed him with something like distaste in his eyes and turned his back, trying not to think about the hurt expression that was surely crossing the advisor’s face right then. He walked out of the range with his shoulders stiff and muscles tense, using all his power not to turn around and hold Yixing close. He did not see how the advisor gnawed on his lower lip, and let his hand fall to his side, looking very defeated.

 

“What’s with all the long faces?” Yi Chen asked curiously as they all sat down to dinner. Yixing and Yifan were seated on opposite ends of the table, his son looking as if someone had murdered his favourite horse, and the advisor as if he had been the one to do it.

“Nothing.” Yifan muttered, stabbing his fork almost violently into his meat.

Lan Ling raised her eyebrows. “If it’s nothing, then why are you mutilating your poor steak?” she commented mildly, seeing the colour rise in her son’s face.

“It’s just steak, Mother.” Yifan poked at the meat again, avoiding Yixing’s eyes.

“Are we back to the Yifan ignoring Yixing period?” Zhang Cheng asked, watching his son’s face closely. The advisor lifted a carrot to his mouth, crunching on it loudly to avoid answering questions.

“Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I feel as if I could cut the tension with a knife, it is that thick right now.” Yi Chen raised his voice, setting down his knife with a loud clang. The sudden sound startled the silent men and they raised their eyes towards the king.

“Finish your dinner and hurry up. Two weeks of misery was enough, I do not want to go through that again.” A command from the king was a command and Yixing quickened his speed, nearly choking on a mouthful of the crème brulee that had been brought out for dessert.

The king whispered something to Jongin, the guard on duty that night and the smirk on the guard’s face made something uneasy stir in Yifan’s gut as he finished his dessert.

“What the actual…” Yifan yelped when rough hands manhandled him out of his chair. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yixing being dragged out of his chair as well, crying out when they jostled him too hard. He was haunted by his father’s smirking face as the dining room doors closed behind him and he was shuffled roughly into his chambers.

“What’s happening?!” he cried out when Jongin bolted the doors when he had left. He did not have to wait long to find out. A few seconds later, the doors were opened again and he heard Yixing’s pained cry when he practically fell into the room. The prince caught him, however, before he hit the floor.

They found themselves pressed awkwardly close together before Yixing very slowly backed out of the circle of his arms and stood with a short distance from him, twisting his hands and smiling nervously. "Are you going to just stand there?” Yifan grumbled as he rose to his feet. His best friend had dropped the strained smile in favour of giving him his best ‘we need to talk’ puppy expression. He could never deny Yixing for very long.

“I'm sorry,” the advisor mumbled, walking forward to wrap his arms hesitantly around his best friend. He looked up at the prince with a small pout on his lips when Yifan made no move to hug him back.

The prince sighed; Yixing never used the puppy eyes often enough for him to build up a resistance to it. He wrapped his arms around his best friend and squeezed him tight.

“I'm sorry,” Yixing mumbled into his shirt once more, “I won't avoid you again.”

Yifan rested his chin on top of his best friend’s shoulder and blew out a long puff of air, tickling him as punishment.

“Yixing.” 

“Hm?” The advisor hummed, snuggling into the prince’s arms.

“What are we?” Yifan murmured, slowly pulling away to look at his best friend.

Yixing faltered, dropping his eyes to the floor. “Xing?” The prince cocked his head to the side in confusion at his best friend’s reaction. “I…I don’t know.” The advisor stammered, not meeting Yifan’s eyes.

“It’s not hard, is it, Xing?” Yifan could feel frustration rise up in him again and struggled to tamp it down. “We both like each other. That much is obvious. Shouldn’t it be easy?”

“You’re a prince, Yifan! You will be king someday and I’m your advisor.”  Yixing muttered, looking exasperated. “I have no place beside you other than to give advice. Besides, people will talk and your father has to approve.” He flushed and looked away, embarrassed that he was even giving the relationship a second thought.

Yifan shook his head in disbelief, stepping forward to sweep Yixing into his arms again. “You’re such an idiot. My father would want me to propose on the spot if he knew, he admires you so. Hush, let me finish.” He pressed a finger to the advisor’s lips to silence his protests. “People always talk, that’s why they have mouths for. It doesn’t matter to me. And you, you will always have a place next to me because you’re my best friend and we can be whatever you want us to be if you’re uncomfortable with this… and I’m rambling again, aren’t I?” The prince stopped, his eyes dropping to meet his best friend’s.

“I like you,” Yixing mumbled shyly, and Yifan groaned. “We’ve established that, Xing. Now just please let me know if I can kiss you or shall we stay the same we have always been because you’re doing that lip biting thing and I really really want to umph!”

Yixing’s plump lips pressing against his cut off whatever he had been about to say and Yifan smiled, arms wrapping around his best friend’s waist to pull him even closer. His lips curved into a smile and he felt Yixing smile into the kiss.

“You're such a weirdo,” His best friend muttered against Yifan’s mouth. “I can feel you smiling, Your Highness.”

Yifan pinched his side in punishment as he pulled away, still smiling widely. “Don't call me that.” He muttered over his best friend’s yelp of pain.

 

-

 

“Father, what do you think of Yixing?” Yifan asked, looking at his father very seriously.

The king glanced up from his papers in surprise. “I assume my method worked then?” He quirked an eyebrow at the flush that covered his son’s face.

“Answer the question, Father,” the prince said, his face hot.

Yi Chen laid down the quill he had in his hand and rested his chin on his hands. “He’s… possibly the only one I would trust with your life. He’s responsible, level headed and kind.” Smirking, he looked right at his son. “I’d say if it were up to me, I would wed you to him.”

That comment made Yifan’s fading blush flare right back, even stronger than before. “Father!” he gasped, scandalised.

“I give you my blessing, Yifan.” The king grinned at how red his son was and how quickly he thanked him and vanished out the door.

Yifan pressed his large hands to his flaming face. He did not think he had ever blushed that hard in his entire life. His father always had to do that. He groaned internally when he realised that he had one more parent to speak to and it was one conversation he was dreading. He cursed his entire upbringing as he made his way to the infirmary.

“Yifan. It's a surprise to see you here.” Zhang Cheng looked up when a tall shadow fell over him. The prince was standing by his desk, twisting his hands nervously. “What's the matter?” The healer looked amusedly at the prince’s reaction.

“I… I came to ask permission,” Yifan stuttered and Zhang Cheng’s gaze sharpened. “I want to court your son.”

The words did not surprise the healer as he had suspected Yifan had feelings for Yixing before but what did surprise him was how nervous the prince looked. “Have you spoken to your father?” he asked instead. The prince nodded quietly and the healer shrugged. “You may. But if you hurt him in anyway, if you break his heart, I will end you.” His tone was serious enough to make Yifan quiver in his boots and he nodded fervently.

“I won't hurt him.” He promised, a slow smile spreading across his face.

Later that night, Yifan effortlessly pulling Yixing into bed with him just as the advisor bid him goodnight. "Sleep with me, little star.”

“Yifan!” The advisor yelped, struggling against his friend’s vice like grip. The prince slung a long leg across Yixing’s thighs and pinned him onto the bed. “Oi, get off!” Yixing squirmed and thrashed weakly, pushing at Yifan’s chest in an effort to keep the prince from crushing him.

“Stay with me,” Yifan whined, wrapping an arm around the advisor’s waist and pulling him against him.

Yixing gasped at the close proximity to Yifan’s face and he could feel his heart beat faster. The prince smirked lazily and bent to press a kiss on the advisor’s nose. “Damn it.” Yixing breathed, nuzzling his head into the crook of his best friend’s neck.

“You can't resist me.” Yifan teased and his friend kicked him. “I asked your dad for permission to court you.” He watched as the long lashes fluttered and blinked up at him.

“What did he say?” Yixing mumbled sleepily, allowing Yifan to draw him closer.

“He told me that if I hurt you, I will die.”

Yixing smiled against Yifan’s skin and kissed his neck. “You would never hurt me. I would hurt you first.” He giggled, drawing circles on the prince’s stomach.

“That's true.” Yifan grinned and his best friend yawned, turning onto his side to wrap an arm loosely around his waist. “Good night.” He heard him mumble and then he heard a soft answering rumble. Yixing was already fast asleep.

 

-

 

“The two of you are disgusting.” Zitao glared, his eyes practically burning holes into the backs of the couple.

Yifan had begged Yixing to take a day off from research after so many days spent cooped up in the library and had arranged a romantic picnic at the pavilion in the middle of the maze. The prince had managed to convince Zitao to help him organise the entire thing. It was safe to say, that the guard may be regretting his decision right then.

The advisor was currently, standing at the edge of the pavilion with a black cloth tied around his eyes. “Yifan.” Yixing sighed in vexation as he was left quite literally, in the dark about what was about to happen.

“Alright, alright.”

There was a soft pressure on the back of his head where the black cloth was knotted snugly before the blackness before his eyes fell away. The glare from the sun was startling, compared to the darkness he had been in before and the advisor winced, blinking so rapidly that his eyes teared up slightly. His jaw hit the ground when he saw what was before him.

The pavilion had been given an absolute makeover. Green vines twined around the white Grecian pillars, creating a thorny forest.  The baby pink roses peeked through the thick wall of vines like little surprises and the heavenly scent of rose floated through the air. A curtain of hazel green willow branches hung around the entire pavilion, shielding the inside from prying eyes. Yixing’s eyes were as wide as saucers as he took in the sight around him. A hand gently wound around his waist caught his attention and he turned slightly, mouth still agape to look up into his best friend’s amber eyes.

Yifan beamed at the look of awe on Yixing’s face and spoke softly so as not to ruin the mood. “Do you like it?” Even without a verbal response, he could see the answer on Yixing’s face.

“You…you did all this?” The advisor gaped up at him, flabbergasted.

The prince tucked a lock of curly brown hair that had come loose behind Yixing ear before replying with a self satisfied smile. “I had your mother help me with the arrangements but I designed all this.”

Slim fingers threaded their way into his golden hair and tugged gently, pulling him down to Yixing’s level. “You’re such a romantic,” the advisor whispered fondly before pressing his lips against the prince’s affectionately. “Thank you,” he breathed, leaning his head against the crook of Yifan’s neck.

“You're welcome.” The prince ran his fingers through the dark hair that was already starting to curl, shooting a smug smile towards Zitao’s direction. The guard narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out. “C’mon, let’s eat. I'm starving. Zitao can go now.” Yifan rested a hand gently on Yixing’s slim waist and steered him towards the willow curtain.

The guard shrugged and disappeared as the prince reached for the green drapery.

Yifan held the branches aside for Yixing to pass through and smirked at his best friend’s reaction to the interior. The willow branches were dense enough to block out most of the rays from the setting sun so the prince could set out candle displays. There was a table set up in the middle of the pavilion, a crisp white tablecloth spread across it. Silver cutlery were set out in two places and a silver candelabra took center stage. The light of the candle danced with the occasional wind, yellow light reflecting off the silver surfaces. There were more roses, of the same baby pink colour, peeking down at them.

“Oh, Yifan.” Yixing sighed dreamily. “It's beautiful.”

“Nowhere near as beautiful as you.” The prince ducked away when the advisor's hand whacked at his arm. It turned out to be a hidden show of affection as Yixing pulled him close for another kiss. “Cheese ball,” he whispered, resting his forehead against Yifan’s.

“Come on, the food will get cold.” The prince smiled and pulled away slowly. He held the chair out for his best friend and took his seat.

“When did you even plan this?” Yixing stared in wonder as a servant entered the pavilion to clear the plates and serve the salad. “We were always in the library together.” He reached for the dressings, delicately displayed in a china boat.

Yifan smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. “You’ll never know.” He intoned with a deep voice, making his best friend laugh. 

Once they'd finished the meal and sat around talking, they headed back to the palace. "Thank you for that, Yifan. I didn't realise how much I needed that." Yixing smiled sincerely as the prince brushed aside the branches with one hand locked around his waist.

"You deserved it. You work so hard." Yifan drew the advisor closer to him until their shoulders were touching. A servant had lit the lanterns the prince had ordered to be hung after nightfall and the pavilion was bathed in a gentle orange light that gave Yixing's light brown hair a reddish tint. Unconsciously, the advisor sought out for his best friend's hand and Yifan smiled at him when he felt the warm pressure of Yixing's hand lacing through his. Yixing was wearing that white outfit again, the one Yifan had declared his favourite and his reasoning had been that it made his best friend look like an angel. 

 

The stars shone down brightly upon them as they walked slowly through the maze, just enjoying each other's company without words. The air was beautiful and fresh with many of the night blooming flowers releasing their fragrances into the air. As they passed a hedge trimmed with snow coloured flowers shaped like a full moon, Yifan broke the silence and pointed at the sweet smelling blossoms curiously. "I could have sworn those were not here when I walked past this afternoon," he remarked, looking puzzled.

Yixing laughed. "Of course they weren't. These are moonflowers. They only bloom in the evening all through the night and close when touched by the morning sun. The scientific name is _Ipomoea alba_ but it's also called moon vine. They look really magical don't they?"

The prince looked at his best friend in awe. "I always knew you were smart but I never knew you could remember scientific names like that," he declared in admiration. His best friend beamed with pride and reached out a hand to caress the petals of the moon flower gently. The blossoms were silky soft against his skin and reminded him of his favourite comforter.

"This is actually my favourite flower," Yixing admitted as he withdrew his hand. The moonflower seemed to glow softly in the light of the moon as he released it and he inhaled its fragrance with a soft smile. "It's so beautiful and mystical."  The advisor sighed.

Yifan smoothed away a lock of chestnut brown hair that was curling into Yixing's eyes and looked at him fondly. "You're beautiful," he murmured, reaching out a hand to cup the advisor's jaw. His best friend blushed and turned away.

"Stop it, you." Yixing lifted a hand to cradle the prince's hand and looked up into his eyes.

The moment their eyes connected, Yixing felt as if he was drowning in pools of honey. He could not pull his gaze away, stretching upwards as Yifan leaned down to connect their lips. It was more electric than their second kiss as the prince held him close with an arm around his waist and a hand cradling his face. With the scent of moonflowers all around them, Yixing melted into Yifan's arms, feeling as if he had been transported to a happy place where it was just the two of them. The need for air eventually forced them to part, Yifan licking his swollen lips so sensually that the advisor felt something twitch in his pants. He kept himself together however when the prince smiled so sweetly at him and offered him his arm.

They were so entranced by each other that neither noticed the black raven glaring from a hazel branch across the garden, violet eyes glowing eerily in the night.

 

-

 

Before his son barely had a chance to catch his breath, Zhang Chen was upon Yixing the next morning, more determined than ever to find a cure. The healer had decided to keep the true object of the sorceress's affections a secret for the moment after he failed to inform his son the first time, choosing to use the king's method of avoiding it instead.

Seeing as his father had not informed the prince about his discoveries, Yixing took heed from the last time he hid a secret from his best friend and took it upon himself to let the prince know.

The prince frowned. "So the man who caused the uprising was one of your ancestors? And Raven led the uprising as revenge all for a lost child?"

Yixing winced and whacked the prince across the thigh. "Don't say her name. Names have power."

Yifan rolled his eyes but scribbled something onto his already cluttered piece of parchment. "But that explains nothing. It doesn't explain why Ra...the sorceress is going after my brother." He glanced across at his best friend who was scrawling something onto his own parchment.

"I don't know either. But here, my father gave me a list of the boy's attributes. Knock yourself out with it. I have yet to find a connection."

Yifan tucked the list carefully away into a notebook and looked at the pile of books in front of them. "Well what have we got so far that could help?" he asked wearily running his hands through his hair.

"Nothing." Yixing dropped his quill in defeat, creating an ink spot on his parchment by accident. "It's getting pretty late though. Think we should head to bed?"

The prince yawned and stretched, wary of knocking over the inkwell beside his work. "I guess."

 

Up in his room, Yixing was slipping into his night clothes when his spine prickled, chills running through his body and he felt as if there were eyes boring holes into his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move in the darkness just outside his window. Sweat beaded at his hairline as he pulled on his shirt, his hands going clammy. His muscles tensed when he detected more movement outside. _Don't be foolish, it's probably nothing._ He scolded himself as he moved towards the window. Pulling the heavy drapes close, he breathed a small sigh. He was getting too paranoid.

Downstairs in the healer's bedroom, he too felt as if he was being watched as he climbed into bed with his wife. As he blew out the lamps, Zhang Cheng glanced towards the window where he had left the drapes slightly open and his heart nearly stopped. There was a soft violet light emanating from outside the glass. Terror exploded through him and he flung off the covers, startling his wife as he raced to the window and looked outside into the darkness of the night.

"Love? What's wrong?" Liu Xing sat up from their bed, concerned by her husband's behavior.

"There...there was something..." Zhang Cheng stammered, disconcerted. His wife climbed out of bed to join him at the window and together, they looked out. There was nothing but inky blackness and the occasional blink of a star.

"There's nothing there. Are you alright? You're shaking like a leaf, Cheng." Liu Xing wrapped her arms around her husband worriedly.

"I just...I'm going to check on Yixing." The healer carefully extracted himself from his wife, fear for his son rushing through him.

His wife nodded quietly. "I'll come with you."

Zhang Cheng was relieved when he pushed open the door to his son's room, to find Yixing sleeping peacefully in his bed, covers pulled up his chin as he lay on his side. He moved towards the bed, anxiety all but dissipated. Gently, he laid a hand on his son's hair, sitting down on the bed. Yixing barely stirred, breathing even as he slept, chest rising and falling with each deepened breath.

"I love you, little star." Zhang Cheng whispered, leaning down to press a kiss against Yixing's forehead. His wife smiled at him fondly and leaned forward as he rose. She pressed a tender kiss to her son's pale cheek and whispered. "Sleep well, my darling."

 

  
Contrary to what his mother had wished him, Yixing did not sleep well. After his parents had left the room, his sweet dreams turned nasty, black smoke and violent violet light filling the vision. A young woman stood at the center of the vortex of swirling smoke, cradling a child. A young man, presumably her husband stood nearby, a worried look on his face. The woman was smiling so brightly, so happily at the child that for a moment, Yixing thought that everything would be okay.

Then the dream went south all too quickly. The black smoke got darker and swirled faster, angrier and the violet light penetrated through his dream so brightly that it hurt his eyes. He saw the man holding a cloth bundle and slipping out of a black stone castle in the dead of the night, saw him sprinkling what looked like herbs on the ground outside a palace and outside a room door and his mouth moving, as if he was chanting. He felt the woman's rage in the vibrant red and violet that filled his vision, nearly overcoming the black when she awoke to find her child stolen and her husband missing. He felt her frustration as she searched frantically with a crystal shard in hand for her beloved son, felt the pain and fury in her heart when the fatal bolt pierced her son's heart.

Before the silent dream ended, Yixing heard a terrible thing. _"You will pay for his death! I will hunt you down and Raven, Raven will get her son back! MARK MY WORDS, ZHANG WULIAN! One day, I will have vengeance! And my son, I will get him back!"_

With those furious words ringing in his ears, Yixing struggled out of the nightmare’s clutches as the morning sunlight pierced his eyes. He blinked and for a moment, it seemed as he was still trapped inside the vision when he struggled in the sweat soaked sheets that he had somehow managed to tangle himself in.

"Hey. You okay?" The familiar honeyed voice trickled into his ears, calming him immediately.

"Yifan?" he croaked weakly, squirming one arm free to touch his best friend.

"Yeah." The prince settled himself beside the advisor, wrapping his arms around him gently. "Oh, ick. You're all sweaty."

Yixing managed a smile at that. He was completely drenched in sweat and his fringe was matted to his forehead.

"Was it terrible?" Yifan asked quietly, pressing a kiss against Yixing's temple.

"What?" the advisor asked, still feeling rather short of breath from the nightmare.

"The dream." The prince rested his chin gently on his best friend's shoulder.

"I...I barely remember it now." It was not a lie. Yixing found that when he tried to recall the dream, he came up blank. Yifan looked at him curiously as he struggled to remember. "All I remember is black and violet." He confessed at last, carefully untangling himself from the sheets.

 


	14. Chapter 13

The crystal shard glinted in the dim light as it flew across the room. Violet smoke filled the room and solidified into a corporeal shape of a woman. Raven’s fury was tangible as she stormed out of the smoke billowing around her. “ _How dare he!_ ” she howled, sweeping a hand carelessly across her wooden work bench. Ceramic pots and various magical items struck the cold stone floor, the ceramics breaking into tiny pieces upon impact. Black smoke evolved from the pots, filling the room with a terrible smell as Raven blasted a hole into the ancient mirror that hung on the wall. The tiny figure in the mirror wailed in terror and fled deeper into its mirror world.

“Shut up!” A raven cawed in terror and with a flick of her wrist, the sorceress vaporised the creature. Her violet lined robes swung wildly as she crossed the room, the other ravens wisely keeping out of her way. The crystal shard screeched as it flew into her hand, as if displeased and she squeezed it hard, the sharp edges cutting into her skin.

“That blasted prince. I will have his head. I will tear it from his body and hear him scream! How dare he sully my darling child!” Raven raged, the air around her thickening into a vortex and sending more things crashing to the ground. The ravens squawked in alarm when they were swept from their perches and sent flying against the walls.

The sorceress lifted the crystal shard to her eye level, the surface rippling into an image of the healer’s son. She sighed, her anger dissipating almost immediately. He was a vision in that light grey wool sweater and white pants. The vortex stopped spinning and the ravens picked themselves up from where they had fallen with ruffled feathers as Raven gazed upon the young man.

“Send him a little present will you?” she called out almost sweetly as the figure in the mirror returned, tiny body and wings quivering in fear as it looked up at the sorceress. “A little dream.” Raven smirked and held up the crystal shard. The little creature took in the beauty of the young man and shook its little head with pity.

“I said, send him a gift!” The sorceress barked, startling the pixie. It nodded its head mutely and fluttered off into its little world, returning only moments later with a small black bag. Raven smiled as the bag was opened, releasing a violet tinged bolt. “That’s right. Send him a little nightmare.”

As she watched in satisfaction, the bolt floated out of the mirror and stabbed itself into the image on the crystal shard. _That should do it._ Raven thought. She was getting impatient; it was time for everything to unfold. Her next step would take effect in about a month; she needed to take the time to gather her strength and power.

 

-

 

Yixing laid his head against his hand weakly, nearly tipping over his bowl of fruit. He was exhausted, tired to the bone. The researching had barely picked up, even with Joonmyun’s return. That and the nightmares that plagued him for nearly two months. They were the same every night, the same woman, same last words. He always awoke in tangled sheets, drenched with sweat and shivering, and he could never truly remember the dream. He had hidden it from his father easily because they hardly ever saw each other but the two months of barely any rest was taking its toll on his body.

“Xing, your father.” A sharp nudge in his side startled him from his sleep deprived state and he jerked his head up to see his parents watching him with concern embedded in their gazes. Yifan rested a hand on his thigh and the words he wanted to convey was clear: _You need to tell your father._

Yixing shook his head violently, when his vision started to swim.

“Are you alright, son?” Zhang Cheng looked at his son worriedly. He had never seen Yixing so pale and shaky in the mornings before. His son smiled but it was weak and tinged with tiredness.

“I’m fine, Papa,” Yixing murmured, picking up his fork. He blinked violently when the room blurred and set the fork down. “I’m not feeling too well. Please excuse me.” He rose to his feet, hand clutching the back of his chair tightly when a wave of dizziness hit him.

“Xing?” Yifan watched his best friend with concern when he swayed slightly, looking dazed.

“I’m okay,” the advisor insisted as he lifted his hand off the chair. The room spun violently and he felt himself lose the ground beneath his feet as his knees buckled.

“Yixing!” He heard a cacophony of voices cry out at once before everything went black.

 

-

 

Luhan nipped the grass at the base of an old elder tree listlessly. The forest felt odd, almost too quiet compared to the soft quiet he was used to. He had wandered off from his normal haunts to explore another part of the forest and the silence in the new parts made his skin prickle. He noticed a prickly thistle growing nearby and nuzzled at it curiously. The flower was a beautiful violet shade and as he opened his mouth to bite down on it, the thorns on the leaves pricked him hard, causing him to jump back in surprise and pain.

He lifted his head when the light streaking in through the dense leaves seemed to dim and the trees around him seemed more oppressing. The grass at his feet withered as a heavy breeze carrying the scent of evil and metal swept through the clearing. The stag backed away when the trees in front of him turned black, crumbling to dust. A castle made of black stone appeared in front of him, surrounded by black iron gates tipped with barbed metal.

The caws of multiple ravens filled his ears and his heart with terror. Shinwoo had warned him enough about the sorceress and her familiars to make him spin around and bolt. However, the elder trees around him closed in, dark and ominous, casting dark shadows on the withered ground. Luhan bleated in fear and darted forward, hooves skidding on the ground that was suddenly full of stones. The elder tree grew thorns, thick and wickedly sharp, enough to force the stag back.

“And we meet again, little deer.” The female voice was unfamiliar, yet familiar.

Luhan spun around as the iron gates opened and a violet tinged smoke blew out, forming the figure of a woman. The dread that coursed through the prince’s bones was crippling as he faced his greatest nightmare.

Raven smiled at the fear in the prince’s eyes as she approached him, hand outstretched.

Luhan screamed in protest and threw her hand off the moment it touched him. For that split second that he had felt it, the prince felt a cold chill run through him. Her hand had felt cold, so cold that it felt like stone. It was unnatural.

Raven flicked her wrist and the stag screamed, rearing onto his hind legs as white hot pain rushed through him and his bone structure rearranged itself, turning him human once more. His legs collapsed and he lay on the stony ground, screaming and writhing as his bones felt like they were turning into fire. His amber coat split open and with one last scream of agony, he was naked on the forest ground, completely vulnerable to his worst enemy.

“There we go. Much easier to have a conversation, don’t you think?” The sorceress hovered over him, a cruel smile on her face.

“What…what do you want?” he gasped, panting heavily, body drenched in sweat.

“Oh nothing, just thought I’d say hello.” Raven smirked when the prince cowered away as she moved closer. She wanted all the royals to be like that; cowering little rats with no power.

Luhan struggled to get to his feet but the forced transformation had drained him, so much more than a normal one usually did that he could only lie on his side and watch helplessly as the sorceress knelt by his head. A stone cold hand rested gently, almost tenderly on his golden hair, stroking him gently.

“So pretty,” Raven murmured, smoothing away the hair from his forehead.

“Don’t touch me,” the prince breathed, moving away as much as he could.

“A terrible pity.” The sorceress ignored him, reaching a hand into the pocket of her robes and pulling out a shard of crystal. She whispered something unintelligible and the surface of the crystal rippled into a scene.

Luhan watched in horror as the crystal showed him what exactly would happen on the day of his twenty fifth birthday, barely two years away. The stag in the image was bolting, sweat running down his amber body, flanks heaving with exertion as he ran. The two horses galloping behind him were painfully familiar, the figures sat atop them even more so. As he watched, the man with golden hair atop the black horse pulled an arrow from his quiver, his eyes glowing violet, even as the man atop the white horse tried to stop him. The arrow was fitted onto the bow and without hesitation, the man allowed the arrow to fly. The white horse plunged forward, overtaking the black horse and the arrow made its mark… Into the left side of the man’s chest.

“No!” Luhan screamed out when the image panned onto the man’s face. It was Yixing. He was slumped forward, crimson blood blooming across his white shirt as his fingers scrabbled to grip onto the reins. Luhan could see the horror on the other man’s face, devoid of any enchantment now. The arrow dissolved into smoke and the image faded before he could realize what happened next.

Luhan stared up at the sorceress’a smirking face in dismay. “He is going to die,” he whispered, revulsion tearing through him. Yixing was going to die and he had no way of stopping it.

 

－梦－

 

Yixing was on a horse. _Scorpio_ , his sub consciousness told him. Even when in a dream he could tell. They were galloping through the forest, the atmosphere dark and oppressing. The trees were tall and glinted like metal. They were in a part of the forest he could not recognize. The air smelled of metal and evil, the ground withered and dead. He grasped the reins in his hands desperately. He was afraid, of what he could not tell for as far as he could see, he was alone.

 

The thudding of hoof beats informed him that no, he was not in fact alone. A black Arabian came into view, its rider golden haired and tall. _Yifan._ Yixing opened his mouth to call out but no sound escaped his mouth. The Prince's eyes were focused on something further than Scorpio and the advisor turned to look. A magnificent stag ran in front of his horse, flanks heaving and sweat pouring off its amber coat. Its neck was arched and its eyes were wide in fear. _Luhan?_

 

Yixing turned back to look at Yifan curiously to see if he had recognized his brother. To his horror, he saw Yifan holding his hunting bow in one hand, both legs clamped tightly to Antares’ sides to keep him in stride and he was reaching back to the quiver slung across his back for an arrow.

 

“No!” Yixing screamed out, finally finding his voice just as Yifan notched the arrow to his bowstring. The prince paid him no mind, eyes fixed upon the stag who was tiring already, speed slowing. His eyes were glowing, Yixing realized with a jolt as he dug his heels into Scorpio’s side and urged him forward. Yifan’s eyes were emitting violet light. _The curse!_

 

The advisor kicked his horse hard, spurring him forward just as the arrow exploded from the prince’s bow, spinning straight towards the stag. Yixing twisted in his seat, barely registering the shock and horror on his best friend’s face, the enchantment having worn off the moment the arrow left his bow.

 

“Yixing!” Yifan screamed right before pain erupted in the left side of Yixing's chest as the arrow buried itself deeply into his flesh. The pain was so great that he saw white dancing in front of his eyes as he struggled to keep his balance. Crimson red blood was dripping from the wound, staining his shirt. Yixing's eyes fluttered and as he lowered his head to evaluate the wound, the arrow dissolved into black smoke. The world tilted on its axis and violet light filled his vision until all he could hear was Yifan calling his name. “Yixing!”

 

－梦－

 

Yifan had been sitting at Yixing’s bedside, calling his name for ages, ever since the advisor started jerking violently in his sleep. Joonmyun was on the other side of the bed, looking worried as his friend thrashed and convulsed violently. “Yixing!”

Yixing's eyes flew open and his neck jerked up in a painful position, chest rising up and down quickly as he tried to catch his breath. “Wha…What happened?” he gasped, dropping his head back against the pillow. Sweat dripped from his forehead and soaked into the white pillow.

“You blacked out during breakfast,” Joonmyun filled in, pulling back the bed covers for Yixing to breathe. The cool air would be good for the advisor's heated skin. Joonmyun saw how his friend relaxed slightly, allowing Yifan to wipe his brow dry with a damp towel.

The prince looked so worried that Yixing could not help but smile. “I'm fine, dragon,” he teased weakly, brushing his hand gently across Yifan’s cheek.

“You fainted. You said you were okay.” The prince’s tone was accusing even though he leaned into his best friend’s touch.

“I will be. Let me up.” Yixing nudged at Yifan’s chest gently but the man would not relent.

“I'll get your father, Xing. Yifan won't let you up any time soon.” Joonmyun looked amused when Yifan gave the advisor his mock angry brows.

“Will you bring me that paper where I wrote most of the curse down too? I need to check something,” Yixing asked and Joonmyun nodded, hurrying out of the room.

“Why do you need the curse? Did you see something?” The prince asked curiously, as Yixing pushed the rest of the bed covers off of himself.

Yixing shook his head. “I…I just need to confirm something,” he said, mind whirling with words and ideas as he tried to recall the words to the curse. Yifan raised his eyebrows but did not push it. Yixing would tell him when he was ready.

 

Yixing’s parents arrived with a new bowl of iced linens and a mug of chamomile tea. Zhang Cheng fretted over his son, despite Yixing’s protests, and made him drink the tea at once while it was still warm. As the warm, honeyed tea slid down his throat, Yixing allowed his mother to coddle and nag at him, asking him why had he not spoken to his father earlier about the nightmares. His father touched his forehead, fearing a fever or a cold only to come away with nothing.

“It’s just stress, Papa. I’ll be fine after I rest for a bit,” Yixing murmured, taking his father’s hand. “I’m sorry I worried you.”

Zhang Cheng’s furrowed brow softened at that and he sighed, a huge weight rolling off his shoulders. “You should have told me,” he said, stroking his son’s hair tenderly. Yixing leaned into his touch, eyes fluttering shut.

“Come, Cheng. He needs rest,” Liu Xing said to her husband. Looking upon his son’s pale face, the healer stepped away from the bed, gathering up the linens. Liu Xing pressed a kiss to Yixing’s forehead.

Yixing opened his eyes to smile at her. “Will you send Joonmyun to me? I need to speak to him.”

The healer frowned, “But you need…”

“It’s just for a little bit, Papa. I need to speak to him. Put Yifan to work on the research, will you? He can’t be slacking off if he’s missing lessons,” Yixing interrupted, giving his father a pleading look.

Zhang Cheng sighed, relenting. “Alright, but just for a little while. You desperately need the rest.”

 

-

 

Luhan staggered, front legs buckling forward before he managed to stand upright. The sorceress had vanished, taking her castle and her familiars with her, leaving the prince to go through the painful transformation alone. He nearly faceplanted into the stone filled ground again when he tripped over a small rock, shaky legs barely able to support his weight. The rock was sharp, slicing open the skin on his ankle. He cried out in pain, gingerly setting the injured hoof down. Limping forward, he found a small gap hidden in the right circle of thorny trees. Carefully, he squeezed himself through, the thorns and rough bark on the trees scraping across his sides and back, drawing blood.

The forest was brighter on the other side, filling the stag with relief the moment he was through. Luhan struggled forward, favoring his right foreleg. The sun was already setting. He had been trapped with the sorceress for nearly the entire day! _How was that even possible?_ He thought as he started for home, wincing every time he stumbled and put pressure on the injured leg.

By the time the prince had arrived back to the castle, it was well after the sun had set and his caretaker had just set out search for him, worry etched across his brow. “Xiao Lu!” Shinwoo called out the moment he saw the stag’s shadow across the meadow.

Luhan bleated helplessly from the meadow. He was in the middle of the tall grasses when his leg collapsed, unable to carry his weight anymore. The caretaker broke into a run when he saw his charge fall, crying out in pain in the middle of the meadow. He skittered across what was left of the beach and into the grass, terrified for the prince.

Luhan had rolled onto his side by the time Shinwoo had arrived, to take the pressure off his injured leg. The stag was sweating heavily, eyes wide and rolling in fear. “Luhan, Luhan.” The caretaker sank into his knees in relief when he saw that the prince was not badly injured. He stroked a gentle hand across the stag’s trembling cheek and the prince stilled, his tongue lolling out to lick weakly. “What happened to you?” Shinwoo breathed, laying his head against the prince's sweaty neck.

 

-

 

_"A hart’s life he shall live when the sun rises,_

_only in his true form once the earth is covered by midnight sky blankets._

_Neither man nor beast as the hour of his birth passes._

_Standing on two legs after midnight has passed but four when the dawn approaches._

_The blood of his family that runs through his veins,_

_on his twenty fifth birthday, an arrow shot true will be his bane._

_In his impending doom, a ki ve his on on.”_

 

“You think you know what the last words are?” Joonmyun’s eyes narrowed as he watched Yixing’s quill move across the parchment. The two of them were alone as Yifan had been sent away to the library to do more research on the beginnings of the uprising.

The advisor nodded mutely, pointing at the words he had written.

 

_In his impending doom, a kin’s love his only boon._

“Kin’s love? Kin as in family? Yifan is the curse breaker?” Joonmyun looked confused.

“No, his love is,” Yixing stated patiently.

“I don't understand.” The lord looked up at his friend’s pale face, twitching nervously. He sensed that there was more to the story than he was being told. “Yifan’s love for his brother? How is that going to break the curse?” Joonmyun laughed nervously, fiddling with the bed covers.

The advisor cocked his head at his friend, surprised. “I'm actually surprised you haven't figured it out yet, Joon.”

The lord rolled his eyes and poked at Yixing's side playfully. “Who says I haven't? Maybe I just don't want to say it.” Joonmyun teased as his friend batted at his hands. “You're the one who has a way with words anyway.”

Yixing sobered, the smile sliding off his face. “I had a dream, no, more like a vision, of what will happen on Luhan’s birthday.” He murmured, picking at a loose thread on his comforter.

The lord sat up straighter, smile slowly disappearing. “What did you see?”

Yixing recounted the dreadful dream bit by bit, watching amusedly as the colour drained out of Joonmyun’s face.

“Why are you smiling? This is serious!” His friend demanded, looking shaken. He wanted desperately to grab Yixing by the shoulders and shake him. How could he be so light hearted when he knew what was about to happen?

“I'm relieved, Joon. I was so afraid that the curse breaker would involve Yifan in some way that would cause harm to him.” Yixing laughed, sounding a little hysterical as he leaned back into his pillow.

“Fuck.” Joonmyun swore, plopping his face into the duvet.

The advisor stroked his hair gently. “There, there, Joon. We’ll sort this out.”

The lord glared at him. “We better. I am not losing a friend to this bloody sorceress.”

Yixing chewed his lip nervously as he thought about what he was going to do. “Sure we will. You won't lose anyone.” He lied, smiling reassuringly at his friend.

“You're not planning on telling Yifan or your father, are you?” Joonmyun's eyes narrowed and he jabbed a finger violently at Yixing’s side.

The advisor yelped, batting away his friend’s advances. “Cut that out, Joon. We’ll figure it out.”

“I knew it. You're a horrible liar. You're not going to do anything about it,” Joonmyun muttered, flopping forward again into Yixing’s lap.

His friend combed his fingers through Joonmyun's dark silky locks, looking guilty. “I'm sorry. You won’t tell, will you?” Yixing murmured, scratching the lord's scalp gently.

Joonmyun looked at him pitifully. “Dragon Yifan will kill me,” he whined, and Yixing laughed, stroking his fingers through Joonmyun’s hair again. “Don't laugh, Xing Xing. He really will kill me if he finds out that I know something this important and didn't tell him. Come to think of it, he’ll kill you too.” The lord sat up, looking at his friend seriously.

“He’ll live.” Yixing smiled placatingly, ignoring the guilt gnawing through him at the thought of hiding something from his best friend again.

“But you won't. Xing, have you even thought about what will happen after? The arrow dissolves into smoke. You could die or not. We wouldn't know. Your parents would be devastated.” Joonmyun clasped his friend's hand close to his chest, looking stricken.

The advisor lowered his head, dark hair falling into his eyes. “They'll manage.” He muttered, unable to meet his friend’s eyes.

“That's not fair, Yixing! You're expecting all of us to be okay after this happens!” Joonmyun exploded, suddenly furious at his friend’s devil may care attitude towards the matter.

“You will be, Joon. You're all strong enough to…” Yixing tried, guilt written all over his face.

“No, no, no! That's selfish, Xing! I've never thought of you as such a selfish person!” The lord cried, rising from his seat to look down at his friend.

A tear leaked out of Yixing’s eyes and trickled down his face. “I don't know. I don't know what else to do, Joon. I can't let anything happen to Yifan. _I can't,_ ” Yixing pleaded for Joonmyun to understand.

Joonmyun’s heart nearly stopped at how raw the emotion in his friend’s voice was. “You're in love with him.” It was not a question. Joonmyun looked defeated as he sat back down.  The advisor could hardly look his friend in the eye. “Does he know?” The lord asked tiredly.

“He knows I like him that way. We’re still testing the waters,” Yixing muttered restlessly“Testing the waters? It’s already been so long and you already sleep together!” Joonmyun snorted. The red flush that crawled over Yixing's face made him look so endearing that the lord burst out laughing.

“Don't! We do not! We just sleep, that's all.” Yixing buried his face in his hands in embarrassment.

“Sure you do.” Joonmyun's amusement waned as he was once again reminded of the terrible situation at hand. The lord sighed. “What are we going to do, Yixing?”

Yixing looked at him sadly. “I don't know.”

 

-

 

Shinwoo sat by the prince’s side, laying iced linens over his forehead. After struggling through his transformation, Luhan had barely managed to stammer a few words of what had happened before falling into a stupor, waking up occasionally in cold sweat to mutter unintelligible words. The prince’s golden hair was soaked with sweat, his body convulsing in violent shivers as he slept. The caretaker still could not piece together what had happened to the stag with the few words Luhan had said. The prince was feverish, skin hot to the touch and Shinwoo feared that he might lose him, not to the curse but to this unusual fever, two weeks before his twenty fifth birthday.

Luhan managed to regain consciousness enough to swallow a few mouthfuls of soup before sinking straight back into a restless sleep.

As the prince slumbered, Shinwoo composed a letter to the King, hoping to be able to convince him to allow a visit from Luhan’s brother even though the danger was near.

“What time is it?”

The caretaker nearly dropped his quill at the croaky voice. “You're awake.” He sighed, moving from the small desk to the bed.

Luhan looked at him with glazed eyes. He pressed his hands into the mattress and struggled to sit up, dark eyes surveying the room. “Time. Shinwoo. Time.” His tone was flat and dead, frightening his caretaker.

“It's nearly dawn.” Shinwoo’s voice cracked as he spoke. The words seemed to flip a switch in the prince’s head and his eyes widened.

“No. No no no no!” Luhan yelled, flinging the covers off and jumping off the bed. “No!” he screamed as he pulled open the curtains and a shaft of rosy light pierced through the darkness.

“What's gotten into you?” Shinwoo cried, moving towards the prince.

Luhan whirled around, eyes blazing with fury and anger. “No!” he repeated, furious eyes roving over his caretaker’s frightened face. His hands shot out and he shoved Shinwoo hard, an aggressive behavior he had never displayed before.

“Luhan!” Shinwoo snapped, moving closer to the prince. He stopped when he saw the look in his eyes. There a glint in the prince’s eyes that had not been there before. It seemed almost animalistic. The caretaker was sure that the prince would attack him, the look in his eyes was so close to madness. But before he could take a step towards Shinwoo, Luhan felt a terrible pain pierce his bones. He screamed, a horrible cry tearing itself out of his mouth as he collapsed, his transformation upon him.

Shinwoo watched in horror as the prince transformed in the small space between the bed and the wall, heavy antlers slamming hard into the bed posts at the foot of the bed as he writhed in agony. One of the stag’s flailing hooves struck him across the leg, sharp hoof slicing through his pants and into his skin. The caretaker cried out in pain and staggered back, falling onto the floor, blood staining the hardwood. Luhan screamed once more before going still, the silence suddenly deafening.

“Xiao Lu?” Shinwoo called out warily, hearing snuffling from where the prince’s head was hidden behind the foot of the bed. “Luhan? Are you alright?” The caretaker got to his feet, wincing at the pain in his leg as he moved towards the stag.

Luhan made a miserable sound and curled his legs under his body, straining to roll over.

“Luhan.” Shinwoo rushed over, bracing his hands on the other side of the stag.

With Shinwoo’s help, the prince managed to get to his feet with all limbs and antlers attached. He was shivering as he stood, turning his muzzle away from his caretaker.

“You’re still feverish,” Shinwoo realized, moving to rest his hand against the shivering beast. “Come, let’s get you into the library. You won’t be going to the forest for a while.”

Luhan bleated weakly, sticking his tongue into the bowl and retracting it immediately, wrinkling his muzzle at the taste. The tea tasted odd and left a funny tingling feeling in the back of his throat. The caretaker had boiled up a mixture of elderflowers, yarrow and peppermint to help with the fever and was currently on the other side of the stag, carefully sponging him with cool water.

“Drink it all. It will make you feel better.” Shinwoo brushed the sponge over the stag’s sweaty neck and kissed his cheek gently. The prince snorted but obeyed, finishing the tea as fast as he could so as not to allow the taste to linger. “I’ve sent a message to your father,” he said as he laid a thin cloth over the prince.

Luhan’s head swiveled around so fast and he stared at his caretaker with wide eyes.

“I wanted to ask if your brother could be permitted to visit.” The caretaker smiled when Luhan’s ears pricked up with excitement, his eyes hopeful. “I’m sure we will receive a reply soon.”

 

-

 

“A message for you, Your Majesty.” Yi Chen nodded at the guard in thanks, taking the roll of parchment from him. He shut the door to his chambers carefully before unrolling it.

“Who is it from, Chen?” Lan Ling asked from the bed where she was already curled under the covers.

“It’s from Shinwoo. About Luhan,” the king murmured, eyes scanning the single page quickly. His wife sat up at the mention of her first born, eyes wide with interest. “He says that Luhan has taken ill and would we permit Yifan to visit. Apparently Luhan misses his brother dreadfully,” Yi Chen proclaimed, placing the parchment in his wife’s outstretched hand.

“Would you?” Lan Ling asked, looking up at her husband curiously.

“The threat of Raven is too near. There is only two weeks left.” The king looked down at his wife worriedly and she bowed her head.

“Yifan would be so happy to visit,” she whispered, setting the parchment down on the bed.

“He would.” Yi Chen agreed, looking fondly down at his wife. “I will think about it. Make no mention of this. I do not want to disappoint him.”

 

-

 

“Are you feeling much better now?” Yifan whispered when Yixing was tucked snugly in his arms, with his head lying on the prince’s chest.

“Yeah. Maybe I’ll actually sleep tonight,” Yixing mumbled, looking up at his best friend.

“I hope you do. Your dark circles are starting to rival Zitao’s.” The prince grinned sleepily when he felt the advisor kick at his shin gently.

“Shut up and sleep, angry dragon.” Yixing snuggled deeper into the prince's arms, reaching out a hand to pull the comforter higher.

“You’re one to talk, little star.” Yifan retorted, pulling the advisor tighter to him and throwing a leg over his calves to pin him down.

“If you don’t stop talking, I won’t have any qualms kicking you out of my bed,” Yixing threatened, eyes fluttering shut.

“Alright, alright. Good night, little star. Sleep well.” The prince pressed a kiss to the top of his best friend’s head and the room grew silent.

 

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 14

“Good morning, sleepy heads,” Joonmyun whispered as he crept into Yixing’s room, a silver tray in hand. The room was still dark with the velvet drapes pulled tightly together but the advisor was already awake, curled quietly within the prince’s arms.

“Morning, Joon,” he greeted softly, carefully untangling himself from Yifan’s grip. The prince grunted and tightened his grip, pulling Yixing back into his arms.

Joonmyun stifled his laughter as he watched his friend try to get free.

“S’too early…” Yifan mumbled, opening one eye to stare at the lord blearily.

“It’s nearly ten. You need to wake up. Your father has some news.” When that failed to rouse the prince, Joonmyun moved closer to the bed.

Yixing squirmed in the prince’s grasp. “Fan, let me up. I want breakfast…” He yelped when he was pulled flush against Yifan’s chest, his ass sitting directly on top of the prince’s crotch.

“I want to sleeeeep.” Yifan grumbled, closing both eyes again.

“Yifan, let me up! I’m in a very awkward position right now!” The advisor twisted and the movement made him grind down hard on top of the prince.

Yifan’s eyes shot open and he moaned. Yixing jerked in surprise when the prince moved his hand towards his crotch. “Oi!”

The movement was so obvious that Joonmyun’s face flushed and he started backing out of the room so fast that he nearly slammed into the healer who was walking in.

Yixing’s face pinked when he saw his father raise an eyebrow at his sleeping position. “Yifan!”

“What. No one asked you to grind… oh.” The prince’s face went as red as a beetroot when he saw who had walked in.

“I think,” Zhang Cheng began as Yifan started to fumble apologies, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “You two need to get dressed. The king has some good news for you, Your Highness, and it’s about your brother.”

Yifan released Yixing so fast, nearly kicking the poor man out the bed as he sat up, eyes widening. “What is it? Has a cure been found?”

The healer shook his head and gestured to the door. “It’s a surprise. But you need to be dressed in order to hear it.”

The prince scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over his own feet as he dashed towards the door. “Oh and Yifan?” His footsteps slowed slightly, showing that he was listening. “I know the two of you are young and have a high libido but don’t you think it’s a little early in the morning to be getting it on?”

Yifan’s face went white and he ran out of the room as if his pants were on fire.

“Papa!” Yixing gasped, mortified, his hands flying to his mouth as his face flamed. Zhang Cheng winked and practically waltzed out of the room, chuckling. Yixing glanced at Joonmyun, who was still standing by the door with his jaw on the ground.

“I did not, in my entire life, need to hear your father say those words,” the lord muttered, his ears as red as Yixing’s face.

"We shall never speak of this again.” Yixing threatened as he moved to his wardrobe, face still pink with embarrassment.

 

“You know I won’t. Unless Yifan brings it up.” Joonmyun agreed readily, carefully setting down the breakfast tray on Yixing’s bedside table.

 

-

 

“Luhan’s caretaker sent a message. He asked for you to visit.” Yi Chen watched his son’s eyes widen into saucers with a smile.

“Oh, Father, surely I can? I’ve missed him dearly!” Yifan looked as if he was ready to do anything to get his father to say yes. The king smirked and tapped his chin lazily, tilting his head up to look at the ceiling.

A slow smile slid over Yixing’s face as he watched. The king was a massive tease when it came to his son. Mainly because Yifan rarely had want for anything and the king thought it was amusing to watch whenever his son got frustrated. They were so alike in that aspect that it always made the advisor smile.

“Father!” The prince was impatient, stamping his foot childishly.

Joonmyun’s gaze slid over to Yixing and mouthed, _“_ _This is the man you’re in love with.”_

The advisor’s face flushed and he whacked the lord across the arm, shooting him a warning look when the king looked down at them with startled eyes. Yixing’s face got hotter and he started stammering out apologies.

“You leave in two days.” As soon as the words had left Yi Chen’s mouth, Yifan was cheering, dancing over to grab his father in a tight hug. “But. Yixing and Joonmyun will go with you. The guards will accompany you till the forest. They have been told that you are on a camping trip so watch your tongue and you must pack a bed roll to seem believable. For the love of god, Yifan, you must be careful.” The king warned, a smile still lingering on his lips at his son’s happiness even as he tried to seem stern.

“Yes, Father.” Yifan laughed giddily, sweeping Yixing off his feet with joy, earning a surprised shout from the advisor.

Joonmyun rolled his eyes at the blatant display of affection and bowed in the king’s direction. “Is there anything else that we should know, Your Grace?”

“Pack your simplest clothes and be careful. Luhan’s birthday is in two weeks, no one knows what could happen before that.” The king answered distractedly, eyes watching his son twirl the advisor around the room, Yixing frantically trying to free himself from the insistent prince.

 

-

 

Zhang Cheng scanned the letter quickly, fear for his son gnawing through him again. He had managed to put the Raven situation at the back of his mind for as long as possible, not wanting to even think about the possibility of losing his son but the separate letter that had been sent to him by Shinwoo had him worried.

The letter had been written shortly after the invite to the king had been sent, describing the unusual behavior Luhan had displayed that night when he had come home from the forest, sweating and shivering.

The healer had never heard of such a thing before but then he had not had as much time as his son to scour the palace’s library for information. Zhang Cheng reckoned that Yixing would be able to answer the caretaker’s worries. Right as he was rolling up the letter, there was a gentle knock on his door and his son poked his head in.

“Papa. Would you have a bedroll that I can borrow?” The healer nodded, carefully knotting the twine around the parchment. He gestured for Yixing to come in and set the letter aside.

“So I guess, you’ve heard about Luhan.” He smiled as he stepped away from his personal desk.

His son nodded, the corner of his lips quirking up slightly. “Yifan is over the moon. He’s missed his brother.” Yixing said, moving over to the wardrobe.

Zhang Cheng raised an eyebrow and pulled open the wooden doors. He reached for a tiny stepladder and stood on it to reach a shelf built into the top of the wardrobe.

“I’ve actually received a letter from Shinwoo today.” The healer said as he carefully pulled a dusty bedroll from the shelf. His son took the roll from him as he stepped down, closing the wardrobe doors behind him. “It’s about Luhan’s supposed _illness_.”

Yixing frowned. “Why, is it not normal?” He asked, brushing the dust from the roll.

“His caretaker said his behavior was odd that morning, right before he got a fever.” Zhang Cheng walked back to his desk and unrolled the parchment again. Curious, the advisor followed his father and read the text carefully. As he read, the colour seemed to drain from his face and he struggled to keep a straight face.

His father however, noticed the change in his demeanor immediately. “I’ve never heard anything like this before, little star. Have you?” He asked carefully, watching as Yixing’s muscles tensed.

“I’ve read about it. It’s unusual and a little unnecessary in his context.” His son answered warily, setting down the bed roll to read over the text again.

“Well, what does it mean?” Zhang Cheng asked anxiously. The look on his son’s face told him it could be nothing good.

“It indicates a magical trace. And with a reaction that powerful, whoever laid the trace had to have prepared for a long long time. It’s too strong a trace to have been laid on a whim.” Yixing took his bottom lip between his teeth and worried it. He could only think of one person who had that much power to lay such a powerful trace on the prince but he could not, for the life of him, fathom why.

“It’s the sorceress, isn’t it?” The healer whispered, suddenly terrified.

“It has to be. Unless there’s another Draiochta living in the kingdom that we don’t know about.” The advisor narrowed his eyes, pressing his lips together into a thin line. “But I don’t understand. Why would she need a trace when she already enchanted him?”

 

-

 

Yixing debated the intelligence of telling the new information he had just received from his father to the prince and Joonmyun as he folded a cashmere sweater away into his pack. He was just about done with his packing when there was a knock on his room door and Yifan poked his head in. The prince had not stopped smiling ever since the king had permitted him to visit and the advisor found that incredibly endearing as his best friend stepped into the room holding a hooded cloak.

“Hey.” Yifan grinned, holding out the cloak to his friend.

“Your smile is starting to creep me out.” Yixing joked, even as he allowed the prince to drape the mantle over him. The cloak was made with blue velvet and lined with silk. The material felt soft and luxurious beneath his fingertips as he cuddled into it.

“You’re always complaining about the cold and we’re going out onto the moors so I thought you could borrow this.” Yifan smiled as he admired the way the cobalt blue of the cloth made his best friend’s pale skin seem to glow.

“You should keep it though. It looks beautiful on you.” The prince murmured, carefully reaching to tug the cloak snugly over the advisor’s slim shoulders.

“It’s springtime.” Yixing looked up into Yifan’s eyes fondly and the prince wrapped him into his arms.

“Well, it’s the moors and the wind blows rather harshly.” Yifan pressed a kiss tenderly on his best friend’s forehead and held him close.

“Aren’t you touchy today,” Yixing breathed against Yifan’s chest when the prince reached out to readjust the cloak and rubbed his fingertips across the advisor’s cheekbones gently.

“Do I need a reason to touch you? I’m just incredibly happy today.” Yifan retorted, carefully tucking a lock of Yixing’s hair away.

Yixing poked him in the stomach and rested his head on his chest, listening to the prince’s heart beat strongly in his ear. “Well, I find your happiness incredibly endearing.” He finally said, leaning away to smile up at his best friend.

“Yes and you’ll find that you’re the only one who thinks that. I’ve been packing and Zitao left because he said I was too annoying and that dampened my spirits a bit.” Yifan grinned, helping Yixing out of the cloak and laying it out on the bed.

“Are you done packing already?” The advisor asked as he spread the velvet cloak over the rest of his belongings.

“All done.” Yifan said proudly, puffing his chest out with a grin.

 

-

 

“You be careful and listen to Yixing alright?” Lan Ling whispered into Yifan’s ear as he hugged her close.

“He’s younger than me, you know.” The prince mumbled with a teasing look in his best friend’s direction. Yi Chen overheard the statement and fixed his son with a stern look. Yifan valiantly attempted to keep up his grin but with his father's eyes piercing holes in his bravado, the facade quickly slipped.

"Alright, alright. I promise." He bowed his head and Yi Chen smiled, wrapping him into a hug. "Say hi to him for me." Yifan rested his chin upon his father's shoulder and the king stroked his hair gently, worry for his youngest son filtering through him despite all of Yixing's repeated reassurances that he would take care of him. 

"Father, if you don't let me go they will leave without me." The prince murmured, his heart beating faster at the thought of going on such an adventure without his father watching over him. He was excited but he would never want Yixing to go into danger if he could help it so he also understood why his father was so afraid.

Yi Chen released his son, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Go and have fun."

On the other side of the courtyard, Zhang Cheng was having a hushed and hurried conversation with his son.

"Papa..."

"You have your cloak?"

"Yes, Papa. I..."

"Be very very careful okay? Maybe you shouldn't go after all. I'm just worried..."

"Papa! I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. I won't do anything stupid." Yixing laughed and stood on his tip toes to press a kiss to his father's cheek. Zhang Cheng was rendered speechless as his son pulled away.

Liu Xing laughed at the look on her husband's face as Yixing turned to her. "You've grown up, little star." She smiled fondly as Yixing kissed her on the cheek as well.

The healer shook his head and ruffled his son's hair, eliciting a cry of protest from him. He squeezed his son tightly and dropped a kiss on the top of his hair. "He's still my son."

"I'll miss you." Yixing said sincerely and his mother squeezed his shoulder gently.

"We will too. You need to go now, honey. Joonmyun's waving at you."

"Good bye." Yixing waved as he hurried across to where Scorpio had already been tacked up and standing patiently. He swung into the saddle easily and gave his parents one last wave as Antares came jogging up to him with Yifan struggling to hold him back.

"You need to calm down. He's sensing your excitement." The advisor looked amused when the black horse tossed his head, fighting Yifan's hands. He leaned over and grabbed the bridle in one hand. "Whoa, buddy." Antares looked at him with a large intelligent eye and side stepped away, settling as Yifan gave him more rein.

Yifan fidgeted on his horse, heart racing a million miles per hour as the tall iron gates swung open, and his father blew the hunting horn. He turned around just before the horses leapt forward and waved at his parents. Then the world turned into a white blur as their horses lunged forward, breaking into a canter past the line of gates, hoofs striking againat stone as they raced out into the open moors.

"Yifan ge." Zitao pulled his horse up along with the prince's with a grin, their legs brushing. "Want to race?"

On Yifan's other side, Yixing and Joonmyun perked up. The other two guards cocked their heads with interest. "Shall we?" Yifan glanced at his best friend and was rewarded with a smile. "To the first line of the forest then. That's where the guards turn back." Yifan said decisively and the rest of them nodded. "On three. One, two, three...go!"

The group of six horses exploded forward as their riders leaned forward, pressing boot heels to their sides. Yixing lengthened his reins, his breath quickening as Scorpio snorted, sensing the excitement in the air. He pressed his heels against the white horse's sides and he responded immediately, lengthening his stride to cover more ground. Adrenaline swept through the advisor's body, pumping through his bloodstream as his horse broke into a gallop, easily over taking the others. He could hear Yifan laugh from behind him and hoof steps thudded heavily over the hard packed earth, the ebony blackness of the Arab entering his peripheral vision.

Scorpio snorted in annoyance and stretched his neck forward when Antares came level with him. Determined to win, Yixing leaned even lower, knees pressed to the knee roll of the saddle, releasing as much rein as he dared when Scorpio asked for more. The white horse plunged forward with a loud whinny, obeying his rider immediately. The wind whipped through Yixing’s chestnut hair as Scorpio’s long strides ate up the ground, and he was so hot headed as he arrived at the tree line that Yixing had to shorten his reins and tug hard to get his attention.

The advisor managed to get his horse back under him and listening as they approached the tree line in an easy trot.

“You beat me.” Yifan panted as they arrived close behind, his hot blooded Arab prancing and trying to tear the reins out of his hands.

Yixing laughed and patted Scorpio’s neck gently, fingers flexing to ease the ache of holding them so tightly. “Good boy. Well done.” The Andalusian huffed and turned as the advisor pulled a bit of carrot out of his pocket to feed him. The advisor leaned forward, feeling the horse’s velvety muzzle snuffle his leather gloves gently. He pulled his velvet cloak tighter around him as a wind blew through the forest, rustling the leaves.

Yifan glanced at him and started when Antares pushed his muzzle in Yixing’s direction, wanting a treat as well. “Woah!”

Yixing grinned and fed the horse a bit of carrot as well as the other horses came up to them, Joonmyun in the lead. “I will never race with the two of you again!” the lord declared as he pulled his horse into a halt, hair wind blown and mussed up.

“We can switch horses next time if you wish,” Yifan said slyly as Antares tugged him forward, eagerly touching noses with Joonmyun's dappled mare.

Joonmyun did an exaggerated shudder and tugged on his reins gently. “No thanks. I'm not riding that devil you call a horse.”

“Hey!” Both Yixing and Yifan protested, the prince releasing his reins to lean forward and cover the horse’s ears. “He’s no devil. You just don't understand him.” The advisor reached over to stroke the black horse gently.

Joonmyun snorted. “No way, he’s thrown everyone who’s tried to ride him. He’s definitely devil’s spawn.”

"Well he's not… Woah!” Yifan yelped when his horse sidestepped and shied out from under him, neatly depositing him on the ground.

“I thought you were a better horseman than that, Your Highness,” Joonmyun mocked as the prince picked himself up and tried to mount again.

Yifan huffed and set his toe into the stirrup, opening his mouth to retort when Antares stepped away from him, once again dropping him back into the dirt. "Damn it!" He cursed, reaching for the horse's bridle again. Antares tossed his head, refusing to be caught as he pranced away from the prince, further proving to the lord that he was indeed, the spawn of the devil.

Yixing took pity on the prince and dismounted, pressing Scorpio's reins into Yifan's surprised hands. Seeing the prince's startled look, he explained. "You're too hard with your hands. I'll ride him. You ride Scorpio. He's more tolerant of hard hands but if you wreck his mouth, I will skin you alive."

Joonmyun chortled to himself as Zitao and the rest of the guards caught up, having given up the race half way through. Yifan shot him a glare and mounted Yixing's Andalusian. Scorpio gave a little surprised snort but otherwise stayed still.

The advisor moved towards the Arabian who was eyeing him warily as he approached him. Yixing dipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out another bit of carrot much to Yifan's consternation, and held it out. Antares sniffed the air and took a step towards the advisor.

Yifan and his friends watched in amazement as Yixing smoothed a hand across the horse's withers and set his toe into the stirrup. As Antares made to step away, the advisor swung his leg neatly over the horse's back before settling easily into the saddle. The black horse snorted and tried to yank his head away when Yixing picked up the reins, lacing them through his fingers.

"Easy now, easy." Yixing hushed when Antares tossed his head in an attempt to get more rein. He kept the reins short and watched as the Arab fought valiantly to get his head. The moment he paused in tossing his head, the advisor gave him rein. That stopped him, when the horse realised that fighting would not get him what he wanted. "Good boy." Yixing smiled, leaning forward to pat Antares' shoulder gently.

"Are you guys leaving?" He asked as he readjusted his stirrups to suit his length.

"Yes. We turn back here. Will you be okay?" Jongin answered, turning to look at the prince.

Yifan nodded slowly, suddenly feeling nervous.

"We'll be fine." Joonmyun answered, shifting in his seat.

"Then we shall be off. We need to get back." Zitao levelled a glance in Yixing's direction. "Take care of them Ge. Or the responsibility will fall on your shoulders." He waved and turned his horse away. Jongin and Sehun followed his lead, echoing goodbyes.

As soon as the guards were gone, Yixing turned Antares towards the forest, eyeing the dense trees with slight trepidation. "Ready?"

 

-

 

"What is your brother like?" Joonmyun asked curiously as they passed a stream tinkling prettily over the rocks.

"Woah!" Yixing laughed when Antares jolted sideways, nearly slamming into the lord when a bird flew past him.

"He's a lot like Yixing. Snarky, sarcastic," Yifan answered as the advisor steadied his horse.

Yixing stuck his tongue out, turning his attention to calming Antares who suddenly seemed spooked out the pretty stream. "Silly boy. It's just water." He coaxed, putting his legs on and pushing the high strung Arab past the stream.

"Oh, that's good. We'll get along well then." Joonmyun chuckled.

Yifan looked horrified. "Oh no. I'm going to be targeted aren't I?" He mock gasped as Yixing gave an evil laugh.

“Idiots, the both of you.” The lord scolded fondly. They bickered good naturedly the entire way through the forest until a sudden silence fell over the forest.

Joonmyun was the first one to notice, his voice trailing off as he took his eyes off the ground in front of him to look around him. "Has the forest just gotten darker?" He asked, cutting off whatever Yixing had been about to say.

The advisor shifted in his saddle and raised his eyes to look around him in surprise. "I believe so."

Yifan heard the slight tremor in his best friend's voice and looked up. "Let's move faster. I don't like this," he suggested, digging his heels into Scorpio's sides to urge the horse to go faster.

Yixing nodded, gathering his reins up. Just as he was about to urge Antares forward, a raven cawed directly above them, spooking the horse. Yixing's heart sped up, adrenaline pumping through his bloodstream as Antares reared, whinnying loudly in fear.

Yifan's yell echoed dimly in his ears as his friends ducked away to avoid the flying hooves. His ears buzzed as he flung himself forward, fingers clenching tightly around the reins and mane to keep his balance. "Woah!" Yixing cried out when the black horse landed back onto four hooves, plunging forward immediately into a mad gallop, hooves thudding heavily onto the earth.

 

Terror raced through the advisor as he hauled desperately on the reins but the horse had gotten the bit between his teeth and he had lost all contact with him. Dimly, he heard his friends crashing through the undergrowth behind him but he paid no attention, more focused on trying to stop Antares from bolting. Had he been in an open field, he would have allowed the horse to run off his fear but in this forest with barely any idea of where he was going, he was afraid that Antares would trip over something and break his legs. Getting lost in this forest was also not a very appealing idea to him as he struggled to tug the bit back into the horse's mouth.

His muscles were cramping up as he sat down hard in the saddle, pulling the reins back harshly. He felt something jerk and Antares stopped so suddenly that he tipped forward, heart practically falling out of his mouth as he steadied himself with his hands on the pommel. The black horse was sweating heavily and trembling where he stood. "I'm sorry about that, boy," Yixing whispered, leaning forwards to pet the horse gently on his shoulder. There was a loud crashing sound echoing out of the forest behind them and Antares shot forward like a bullet, the advisor barely catching him in time.

Yifan and Joonmyun appeared on either side of him, brows both creased with worry. "Are you alright?" The prince asked when Yixing looked up at him with a shaky smile.

"I'm good. Antares will have a terrible time tomorrow though." The advisor managed, nodding his head at Joonmyun.

"Stop thinking about the damn horse for one second. Are you hurt?" The lord fretted, pulling a water skin out of his saddle bags to offer to the advisor. 

Yixing gulped down the water, not realizing how thirsty he had been till then. "No. But we should hurry. I can see the sun going down." He pointed in front of him where the trees were thinning out, revealing peeks of the sun, orange like an egg yolk, sinking into the ocean.

"We don't have far to go then." Yifan injected, gathering his reins. The trio walked their horses out of the forest, Antares stumbling with exhaustion. "If we don't arrive soon, I think I will get down and walk. Antares feels like he is about to collapse anytime soon." Yixing said, barely managing to hold the horse up with the reins.

"Look. I see the meadow. You could walk him across that." Yifan pointed as the trees sank back around them, revealing a wide green meadow with tall grass stretching across and ending with golden sand. The sand led down to a wide beach with harsh strong waves that struck the shore mercilessly. One side of the beach ended with a hard rocky cliff and the trio could see the stone castle perched almost precariously at the tip of it.

Joonmyun eyed Antares warily. "I don't think he will make it up." He said dubiously and Yixing whole heartedly agreed.

The advisor knotted the reins and swung himself out of the saddle, running the stirrups up to prevent them from banging against the horse's sides. His knees buckled when he hit the ground but he hid his exhaustion well. "Come on then." He gripped Antares' bridle and led him forward. The prince and the lord followed along, slowing their horses to a walk to match paces with the advisor.

“Your father really picked the right place to hide your brother. No one ever passes through the forest for any reason at all and the people think that there is only one person who live in the ruins of Castle Adfeilion,” Joonmyun remarked as they started up the path up the cliff to arrive at the castle.

Yifan nodded; the last time they had been stranded at the castle because of Yixing's injury, the King had publicly thanked whoever who had been living in the ruins, pretending that he did not know that the castle was in residence, pulling suspicion away as the guards who had fetched them would have had questions on to why they had medical supplies to aid the advisor.

“Are you alright down there? I can switch with you if you want. You’re looking rather ragged right now, Xing,” the prince called down to his best friend, concerned. Yixing stumbled, nearly pulling Antares down with him. Yifan pulled his horse to a halt and slid out of the saddle, holding the reins out to his best friend. “Here. You're exhausted.”

The advisor gave him a grateful look, too tired even to speak. He managed to get himself into the saddle without falling out of it and they rode the rest of the way in exhausted silence.

 

-

 

Yifan knocked his fist against the oak doors of the castle tiredly. His legs were trembling as he struggled to remain upright. His friends were looking just as rugged as him, body trembling from the cold and the ache of sitting in the saddle for so long. He was just about to lean his forehead against the wood when the doors opened and Shinwoo smiled brightly down at them.

“You're here! Do come in. You all look exhausted! I'll take your horses,” he exclaimed, reaching for Antares’ bridle.

Yifan and Joonmyun gladly relinguished their horses but Yixing stubbornly refused. “Antares had quite a scare and bolted. I want to make sure he’s alright,” he explained to the surprised caretaker.

Shinwoo reached for Scorpio’s reins. “I'll check him for you. You are already tired.”

The advisor opened his mouth to argue but Yifan cut in tiredly. “Just leave him be, Shinwoo hyung. He won't rest till he has stabled Scorpio and had a look at my horse.”

The caretaker bowed and nodded his head towards the side of the castle. "Come with me then. I will show you where we stable my horse." Scorpio nudged gently as his master's side and Yixing snapped out of his daze, moving forward with Shinwoo in front of him. "I heard about what happened with Luhan ge," he whispered lowly as they walked out of earshot, horses in tow.

The caretaker gave him a sharp look and said, "Has your father said anything about it? What could have caused it?" His heart clenched when he saw the look on the advisor's face.

"It indicates a trace. Magical traces make it easier to enchant the person again later on," Yixing explained after he saw the confused look on Shinwoo's face.

The caretaker laughed. "That sorceress already has a hold over our prince. Why would she need a trace to make things any easier for herself?" he said bitterly.

Yixing shook his head tiredly. "I don't know. Her plans are so ambiguous that no one knows exactly what she's planning."

The caretaker kept silent, opening the Dutch door of a stall to lead Antares in. "Here, I'll stable your darling. You come have a look at him," he said gruffly, holding the door open for Yixing to step through.

The advisor tied Scorpio's reins quickly to a nearby set of cross ties with a slip knot and stepped through the door. Antares looked at him warily but allowed him to touch him. The advisor knelt, running his hand along the horse's front leg, squeezing gently to get him to lift the leg.

Antares flinched the moment his hand went anywhere near his knee. Yixing bit his lip. That was not a good sign. He smoothed his hand down the Arab's leg, his heart thudding heavily in his chest. The leg was warm and seemed slightly swollen at his knee. When he made an attempt to touch the knee, Antares jerked away, favoring his leg.

"How's he doing?"

Yixing looked up in surprise to see Shinwoo outside the Dutch door looking down at him. "Not too good. There's heat in this leg and it's only the first leg I've checked." The advisor moved to the horse's hind legs, giving them a thorough feel over.

"It's just this leg. I think he may have injured a ligament." The advisor mumbled, feeling guilt settle in his stomach. He rose to his feet, setting a hand on Antares's shoulder. The horse seemed to have sensed his guilt and turned to nuzzle at him gently. "I'm sorry, boy." Yixing patted the horse gently.

Shinwoo unbolted the door, the sound startling the Arab. The black horse moved away as the caretaker hung up a hay net and filled his water trough, wary of the newcomer. "We'll cool the leg down later. Right now, you need dinner," Shinwoo said firmly, placing a hand on the advisor's shoulder to guide him out of the stall.

Yixing gave Antares one last reassuring pat on the shoulder and followed the caretaker out of the stable. He would never admit it but he was exhausted and half starved.

 

 

 


	16. Chapter 15

Yixing pulled his cloak tighter around him as they crossed the stable yard to arrive at the castle doors, grateful for its warmth. A chill had settled around the castle as darkness had fallen and the advisor found himself freezing cold, all the way down to his bones even with the cloak wrapped around him. "Is it always this dark at this time?" he asked curiously as the caretaker pulled open the heavy doors. A rush of warmth spilled out of the castle and he stopped shivering.

Shinwoo glanced around them uneasily. "I'm not sure but let's go in."

The castle's fire was stoked up high and they found Joonmyun and Yifan at the dining table, Joonmyun with Luhan's head in his lap. The lord had a look of awe on his face as he smoothed his fingers across the prince's head. Yifan on the other hand, had his lips pushed into a pout and was sulking on the other side of the table.

At the sight of Yixing however, Luhan leapt to his feet, wobbling over to the advisor before taking the edge of his cloak in his mouth. "Hello. How've you been." The advisor laughed at the stag's enthusiasm and petted him gently. He shrugged off his cloak and laid it over one arm before moving over to the dining table.

"You guys just rest up a bit while I bring dinner out." Shinwoo smiled, waving off their offers to help.

The moment Yixing settled into his chair, Luhan dropped his head into his lap and he could go nowhere. The advisor scratched his nails gently against the prince's head and he practically purred with delight.

"He was more excited to see Joon than me." Yifan pouted, glaring at his brother.

Yixing laughed and gave the stag one last scratch on the head before pushing him off. "Go to your brother. He's getting jealous."

Luhan popped his hindquarters under him and walked gracefully over to Yifan before plopping his head into the prince's lap and demanding attention. The prince ran his fingers over the silky smoothness of his brother's coat and fingered the hard bony antlers that were digging into his rib cage. "Did you miss me?" he mumbled, tugging the fabric of his cloak up to hide the red blooming across his face at the question. Luhan keened and looked up at him with eyes the colour of melted chocolate. He nuzzled deeper into Yifan's lap in answer and the prince smiled, scratching the stag under his chin.

Yixing reclined into his chair, eyes drifting from the happy prince to the dark windows on the far wall, on either side of the fireplace. The sky was already a deep indigo, contrasting greatly against the red velvet drapes that were pulled so tightly that only a little bit of the outside peeked through. He narrowed his eyes when something glinted just outside the red velvet.

“What are you looking at, Yixing?” Joonmyun asked curiously, following his friend’s gaze to the window.

The wooden chair scraped back as the advisor rose to his feet, the velvet cloak draped around his arms sliding on to the floor. Luhan lifted his head from his brother's lap and followed after him, hooves tapping lightly against the floor.

"Xing?" Yifan called as Yixing drew back the curtains, eyes fixed on the glass.

"There's something out there," the advisor muttered, almost to himself but Luhan's keen ears caught the words and he cocked his head to the side, eying the window suspiciously. Yixing's eyes caught a small movement close to the edge of the window and he jerked away, chills running up his spine when he spied a violet light glowing harshly at the far end of the courtyard. Terror rippled through him and he spun around just as Yifan walked up to him, pulling the drapes shut behind him.

"What is it?" the prince whispered, frowning at the look on his best friend's face.

"Nothing," Yixing muttered, ducking his head to avoid Yifan's gaze. The prince's eyes narrowed and he reached out to grab him, mouth opening to protest.

Shinwoo appeared out of the kitchen cradling a large bowl in his arms. "Dinner's ready," he said, shooting the couple a strange look.

Yixing darted away to the table, a fake smile on his face. "Great! I'm starving!"

Shinwoo shot the stag a worried look when Luhan wobbled weakly over to the table, taking one whiff of the soup and turning his nose away.

“What’s wrong with him?” Yifan asked, a crease appearing in the middle of his brows as he crossed the room to pet his brother on the head. The prince licked at the soup uninterestedly and leaned his head against his brother quietly.

“He’s ill,” the caretaker answered, pushing the bowl closer to the stag.

“Ge, you need to eat.” Yixing crouched at the stag’s side, pressing his hands against the silky smooth coat. Luhan whined and twisted his neck away to bury his nose into Yifan’s stomach. The prince stroked his hand along his brother’s head, feeling the wetness of the sweat dampened fur. The stag shook his head stubbornly, resolutely keeping his face planted in Yifan’s stomach.

The prince’s condition worried the advisor as he felt along the beast’s neck. Luhan’s pulse was unusually high, beating too quickly to be normal and his body temperature was up too, his amber coat dark with perspiration. “He’s feverish.” Yixing frowned, looking up at the caretaker who had moved to the prince’s side.

“He has been ever since he came back two days ago. I made him a concoction of elderflowers, yarrow and peppermint but it barely helped. He’s only just been able to stand and wobble a few steps.” Shinwoo stroked his hand up and down along the length of the stag’s body as he spoke, Luhan turning to nose at him quietly.

Joonmyun’s eyes narrowed. “Is that not a sign of dark magic having been used on him? Perhaps something of that sort happened two days ago,” he said, mind whirling as he tried to recall all that he had read on the matter.

“What happened two days ago? Why was I not told anything?” Yifan interjected before the caretaker could answer, amber eyes flashing.

Yixing winced and shot Joonmyun a glare. He had informed his friend of what happened to the older prince in the hopes that he would be able to aid him in healing the illness, but he had neglected to mention to Yifan about it as he had not wanted to worry him.

“He had a run in with the sorceress in the forest," Shinwoo answered, blissfully unaware of the mounting tension in the room.

"What?!" Yixing gulped when Yifan caught his eye; his best friend looked murderous. Sweat trickled down his brow as he bowed his head, avoiding looking at the prince as much as possible.

"Will he be alright?" Yifan asked. Luhan nibbled at his brother's shirt, looking up at him in reassurance. The crease between Yifan's brows softened as he gazed upon his brother, smoothing the stag's velvety muzzle. 

"Let's eat first, hopefully he will get up a bit more of an appetite after we're done." Shinwoo rose to his feet, ushering the young men to the table.

Luhan laid his head upon his brother's lap, eyelids fluttering close as the prince and his entourage began their meal. Yifan could hardly concentrate on the food, mind whirling angrily at the fact that he had once again been left in the dark about his brother. He slipped one hand under the table, absentmindedly scratching at his brother's head as he stared across at Yixing who was tucking into his food with gusto and seemed determined not to meet his eyes. 

Yixing could feel the prince's eyes practically boring holes into his skull as he swallowed a spoonful of the stew Shinwoo had made specially for them. The stew was thick, warm and meaty, reminding him of home and his parents but with Yifan's obvious anger simmering on the other side of the table, it was all he could do to gulp down his food. Joonmyun too, seemed troubled by the tension in the room that had gone unnoticed by the caretaker. 

"Does the food not suit your taste, Your Highness?" Shinwoo asked curiously; he could not help but notice that while the stew in the others' bowls were nearly gone, the prince's remained half full.

Yifan startled, tearing his eyes away from Yixing's chestnut hair to look in the caretaker's direction. "No…No. I was just thinking," he hurriedly said, noting the slightly worried look on Shinwoo's face. He dipped his spoon back into the stew, his mind wandering back to Yixing's strange behavior before the caretaker had appeared with their dinner. What had Yixing seen that had frightened him so much?

As the dinner came to a close, Shinwoo, who had finished his meal early, had managed to convince Luhan to consume a small portion of his soup. The stag's unusually small appetite worried the caretaker as he took the bowls away to the kitchen, the advisor having reassured him that they would accompany the prince to the library. 

Luhan leaned heavily against his brother as they clambered up the stairs to the library, Yifan having checked the clock that hung above the mantelpiece and knowing that they had a couple more hours before his brother's transformation was due. "Go ahead first," Yifan said. "I need to have a word with Yixing."

The advisor's face paled, Joonmyun shooting him a sympathetic look before following the prince into the room. Yifan's large hand curled around Yixing's wrist, dragging him out of the room before he could escape. "Yifan..." The advisor whimpered in pain when the prince pulled him higher up the stairs. The tension in the air between them thickened when Yifan pressed his best friend into the wall, so close that they were chest to chest. 

Yixing kept his eyes cast down, feeling sweat bead at his brow at Yifan's intense stare.

"What was that about?" The prince growled, feeling his temper rise at Yixing's guilty look. The advisor bit his lip nervously, feeling Yifan grow more agitated as the silence dragged out. "Can I not trust you to tell me about these things anymore, Xing?" The prince deflated, all the anger rushing out of him as he stared desolately at his best friend.

"I... just didn't want to worry you," Yixing mumbled, seeing Yifan so disappointed hurting way more than if he had yelled at him.

"I need you to tell me these things Yixing. I want to be able to trust you," Yifan mumbled as he pulled away, Yixing staring up at him in surprise at the sudden show of emotion.

"You can trust me, Fan." Yixing cupped his best friend's cheek and rose onto his tiptoes to press a chaste kiss on his lips. Yifan accepted the kiss silently, feeling a rush of love sweep through him as Yixing embraced him, burying his face into the prince's chest with a low mumble of "I'm sorry."

“You better be. Come clean now, what else are you hiding from me?” The prince tried to be stern even as he melted into Yixing's arms.

Face hidden in Yifan’s chest, the advisor bit his lip as his mind wandered to the massive secret that he was keeping and mumbled. “I've told you everything.” He pulled away, keeping his face as straight as possible as he gazed into his best friend’s eyes.

Yifan shook his head, brushing a thumb across Yixing’s bottom lip tenderly. “I still trust you,” he murmured and Yixing’s heart clenched.

He fought desperately against the urge to drop his head in shame and instead, leaned up to accept the kiss the prince bestowed on him. Yifan pulled him closer, the kiss suddenly deepening into something more passionate. Yixing saw sparks when he felt the prince’s teeth dig into his lower lip, the spike of pain shooting straight to his groin as he was pushed up against the wall. “Yifa… We can’t… oh!” When Yifan’s tongue slipped into his mouth, the advisor’s eyes rolled back and he clung desperately to his best friend, barely able to stand upright as his knees turned to jelly.

 

-

 

“Well you guys were gone a long time,” Joonmyun commented as the library door swung open and Yifan stepped in, looking as collected as ever. The prince smiled and straightened his collar, keeping a straight face when his brother lifted his head from the book Joonmyun held in his lap. Yifan held the door open and Joonmyun smirked and dropped his eyes back to the book when Yixing stumbled into the room, hand held over his neck as if he was in pain.

The advisor’s face was flushed so red that he practically had smoke coming out of his ears. “I…” Yixing stuttered but Joonmyun waved him off, still smirking. Even Luhan had an odd twist to his mouth as he leaned against the lord. The stag nosed playfully at the advisor as he sat down, causing a red flush to spread up Yixing’s pale neck. Yifan settled on his other side, leaning over to lay a hand on his brother’s warm back. Luhan thrusted his nose at Yixing’s hand, forcing it away from his neck to reveal a purplish love mark on his pale skin.

“You guys had a nice talk?” Joonmyun looked over, smirking when Yixing blushed harder, tugging at his shirt collar helplessly to try and cover the mark. Yifan on the other hand, looked very satisfied with himself as he picked a book off the floor next to him.

 

-

 

Yifan stirred awake, a heavy book sliding off his lap and onto the floor with a thud. His heart chilled when he glanced across the darkened room towards the doors and saw a ball of eerie violet light hovering in the air. Looking down at Yixing, he could tell that his best friend was sleeping soundly. The light flickered, as if beckoning him forward. Yifan shook his head violently, reaching over to grab Yixing’s shoulders. “Xing. Xing, wake up.” The advisor was dead weight under his hands, chest rising and falling peacefully.

The prince could feel a buzzing in his ears and the edges of his vision blurred. The ball glowed brighter, more insistently. He gripped Yixing’s shoulders tighter, trying to ground himself. “Xing…” The advisor snored on, peacefully unaware of what was happening around him. “Yixing?” Yifan breathed, feeling short of breath as his fingers uncurled from his best friend’s body, realization dawning upon him. He was under a sleeping spell.

Yixing was a light sleeper and the appearance of the light should have woken him immediately. “Yixing!” Yifan grabbed his friend roughly and shook him hard, terror rippling through him as the light flashed, drifting closer and closer to the bed. His breaths came out in short, harsh pants as he struggled to wake his best friend. “No. No,” he cried out as he was wrenched roughly from the bed by an unseen force, pressure from behind shoving him forward.

_Be silent, little one. Or you will wake the others._ A soft, sultry voice filled his ears as he fought against the magic working upon him.

_Raven._ He thought, wildly swinging his head around in search of the source. “Hel…” Yifan’s voice was abruptly cut off and he was pushed harshly out the door and up the stone stairs.

_I said silence._ The woman sounded annoyed as the prince was yanked up a set of spiral staircases. He was led into a dead end and just as he thought his ordeal was over, there was a murmured command and the wall in front of him dissolved into smoke.

The smoke was black and gray, struck through with violet light. Its scent reminded Yifan faintly of the time when he had watched the men of his father’s hunting party skin a large bear. The memory struck fear into the prince’s heart as he began to struggle anew, terror running rampant through his heart as he could not see past what was behind the smoke.

The black smoke stretched out its tendrils, curling around the prince’s body, pulling him into its depths. Yifan’s lips parted as he screamed silently, no sound leaving his mouth as he was dragged into the swirling mess of smoke and dark magic. The world around him lost colour, his vision turning black as he was sucked into a vortex, his last memory, a pair of glowing violet eyes staring mockingly at him.

 

-

 

The floor was cold and damp through his pants as Yifan regained consciousness. His head felt as if it was on fire as he pushed himself into a sitting position. There was a strange smell in the air that he could not place as he peered groggily into the gloom.

“Welcome to my humble abode, little prince.” A woman’s mocking voice pierced through the mist in his mind.

Yifan struggled to his feet, hand reaching for the dagger strapped to his hip. The dagger made a scraping sound as he unsheathed it.

The woman sighed. “Oh put that away. You won’t be needing it.”

Yifan cried out in surprise when the knife was forcefully pried from his fingers and sent clattering across the stone floor a good couple meters away. The prince dove for it but an invisible band seemed to wrap around his body and limbs, immobilizing him. Terror raced through him as he struggled against his restraints, that seemed to tighten as he fought.

“Be still or they will eventually choke you to death. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

The woman sounded much closer now and Yifan’s blood chilled. He went limp, the bonds loosening slightly as he did so and watched as the smoke around him parted to reveal a slender woman draped in deep indigo robes. Her hair was as black as ebony, hanging to her waist and her skin was as pale as snow. The most striking thing about her was her eyes which were a curious shade of violet. Yifan was stunned by how much her eyes resembled Yixing’s besides the odd colour. The woman wore a crystal shard on a leather cord that hung down her chest, glinting and reflecting the little light in the room. 

“Raven,” the prince snapped, his eyes darkening, his fear dissipating at the sight of his brother’s tormentor.

The woman’s eyebrows raised as if she was surprised but a smile then graced her features as if she had realized something. “Well growing up in the palace hasn't taught very much manners has it?” she taunted and Yifan resisted the urge to struggle out of his bonds and hit her.

“But then, aren't all royals like that? Rude and arrogant. Always thinking that they know best, that they are all powerful?” Raven sneered, stroking the raven that had fluttered down to perch on her wrist. The raven cawed as if in agreement and the sorceress smoothed its head gently.

Yifan's lips parted as if to protest but Raven waved her hand, silencing the prince before his words could escape. Yifan’s eyes widened and he thrashed violently, the invisible bands growing so tight that he could hardly breathe. His face paled as he fought desperately, his lips turning blue as his bonds tightened. The sorceress watched him quietly, regarding his struggling body with cold cruel eyes.

Yifan's eyes glazed over as he choked, gagging and gasping desperately. His fingers twitched and worked in their bonds, straining to get free. He gurgled, the sound going unheard because of the sorceress’s spell. His ears buzzed, his vision blurred and suddenly, an image of Yixing rushed into his fatigued mind. The sight of his best friend fueled the prince’s strength and he fought anew, though the band around his throat was so tight that he could no longer breathe.

The prince was sure he was going to die, right there and then but a raven on the wall croaked loudly, pointing its beak in the direction of the mirror. Raven’s perfectly plucked brows furrowed and she stepped towards the hanging mirror, lifting the crystal hanging from her neck. The mirror rippled and through his blurred vision, Yifan could see his best friend’s silhouette and the worried look across his face.

“Blast it. He is stronger than I thought,” Raven muttered, the words barely registering in Yifan’s ears. Distractedly, the sorceress waved her hand and Yifan felt a rush of air fill his lungs when the bonds vanished, leaving him lying on the cold stone floor, trembling. He was spent, barely able to move away when the sorceress moved to his side, crystal glittering in his eye line as she turned him over onto his back. Her violet eyes pierced through as she laid a hand into his chest, her other hand pulling the crystal over her head.

“On the 20th of April, you will bring him to me. With the breaking of your brother’s curse, he will be returned to me.” The violet eyes glowed, light emitting from them. Yifan was frozen to the floor, transfixed as his mind blanked. The smoke around the woman swirled wildly and the prince felt himself lose consciousness…

 

-

 

“Yifan! Yifan!” He could hear soft sobs coming from his side when light struck him violently across the face. A warm muzzle thrust hard at his left hand and he stirred. His eyes watered as he opened them, the light from the window violent and too bright. Slowly, he set his hands against the soft silly surface and pushed himself to a sitting position, eyelids falling down to shield his eyes from the sunlight.

Yixing was kneeling on the bed next to him, lower lip quivering. “Xing?” The prince questioned, confused as to why his best friend looked like he was about to burst into tears.

The advisor pressed himself into Yifan’s chest, pushing the prince back down onto the mattress as he did so. “You were gone! I woke up and you had disappeared! I went to wake the others and… And then I found you back on the bed. I thought I was going crazy but you… You stopped breathing. I thought you were dead.” The last words were whispered, muffled into his bedclothes.

“I… I don’t understand,” Yifan mumbled as he held Yixing close to him. “What happened?” he asked, looking up at the worried faces of Joonmyun and the caretaker.

“I don’t know. Yixing came pounding on the door and said that you were gone.” Joonmyun shifted uneasily as the advisor clutched the prince’s shirt tightly in his hands.

“Do you remember what happened last night, Your Highness?” Shinwoo asked.

Yifan furrowed his brow as he thought hard. His memories were blurred, faded and did not make very much sense at all. He remembered a dark room, panicking because he could not wake Yixing and a strange violet light.

Yixing’s face was as pale as death when he recounted all that he could remember, stating that his last memory was of the violet light and everything else that had happened after was just a big white blur. “It was a mistake to come here. Now it’s too late. The curse will happen and there will be no way to stop it.” The advisor’s eyes slanted towards Joonmyun, warning him not to say what seemed to be at the tip of his tongue. The lord’s eyes darkened and he shook his head, withdrawing out of the circle.

Luhan snorted and nosed quietly at his brother’s shoulder, chocolate eyes apologetic and Yifan sighed softly, his brother’s velvety muzzle comforting beneath his fingertips as he petted him. “A pigeon must be sent to your father at once.” Yixing decided and the prince’s eyes widened.

“No! He would want us to return home and we’ve only been here a day!” Yifan protested.

Yixing’s eyes were firm. “You’ve only been here a day and Raven already has a hold on you. We must return to the palace and speak with my father to see if there is anything he can do.”

 

-

 

“Yifan is really upset.” Joonmyun whispered softly as he scraped up the last remnants of his porridge from the bowl. Yixing’s eyes were fixed on his untouched food as he stirred the spoon around uninterestedly. Yifan had decided to forgo breakfast in favour of spending time with his brother after Yixing refused to let the matter slide and insisted upon writing to his father.

“Of course he is. He was really looking forward to spending time with his brother here,” Yixing snapped, dropping the spoon into the bowl hard. His chair made a terrible screeching noise as it scraped across the floor when he rose and snatched his cloak off the coat rack. “I’m going to check on Antares,” the advisor muttered, his face turned away from the table.

“I’ll come with you.” Joonmyun scooted out of his seat and hurriedly threw on his cloak, a cold wind sweeping through the castle as Yixing swung the heavy doors open. Their boots thudded quietly on the dirt path as Yixing led the way. “How much reading have you done exactly?” the lord asked as his friend stopped by the stone well, reaching for the bucket sitting on the ground.

“Nothing that I’ve read about will help anymore. It’s all gone to waste. The curse will happen, Joonmyun. We just have to make sure that the curse is broken,” Yixing said, dropping the bucket into the well with a splash. He turned the handle, the old metal squeaking terribly as he brought the water up.

“You mean you will make sure the curse is broken,” Joonmyun said accusingly and Yixing’s eyes fluttered towards him. “I’m just an extra piece in this puzzle. Xing, what am I going to tell your father if anything happens to you?”

The water in the bucket slopped hard against the edges, some of it spilling over the edge when the lord grabbed Yixing’s arm hard. The advisor would not meet his eyes, gaze focusing instead on the stable block ahead. “When the time comes, I will follow them. You must ride for the palace as soon as we leave. Tell my father everything,” he said, his tone unreadable.  

"But..." Joonmyun looked stricken as the advisor quickened his steps towards the stable block, eager to escape him.

"The future for me is uncertain but Luhan's fate will be set in stone if I do not intervene," Yixing explained, the metal latch of Antare's Dutch door cold beneath his fingertips as he stepped into the stall. Joonmyun remained silent as he looped the bridle he had taken from outside the stall over Antares’ head and led him out, Yixing holding the door for him.

“Good boy, good boy.” Yixing patted the Arab on the shoulder before crouching to touch his legs. As expected, Antares snorted and tried to side step when Yixing’s hand brushed across his injured knee. “Easy, easy.” He rose to grab the damp cloth that Shinwoo had used the night before, the water icy cold against his skin as he plunged the cloth into it. Water dripped from the soaked cloth and onto the ground as he wrapped up Antares’ knees, the horse snorting in surprise when the coldness made contact with his leg.

“You’re not planning on telling his father are you?” Joonmyun asked after they had put Antares back in his stall.

Yixing bit his lip nervously, pulling his cloak tighter around him. “I must. It is my duty, Joon,” he said, pulling the door open for his friend.

“Yifan won’t want to leave.” Joonmyun warned and the pained smile that appeared on Yixing's face showed him that the advisor knew that all too well.

“You go ahead and talk to him. I’d like to go through some books in the library.” Yixing waved his friend away, knowing that the prince would not be in the mood to see him at the moment. He settled in the tiny desk in the corner of the library, and picked up the quill, internally debating on just not writing the letter all together just for Yifan’s tiny sliver of happiness. But the sense of righteousness overcame his doubts and the ink that bubbled on the surface of the parchment, black as a raven’s feather, seemed to mock him as he drafted the note that would send them all back to the palace.

-

 

Yixing’s eyes were shut tight as he leaned back in his chair, fingers flexing as they relaxed from the cramped position they had been in for the past fifteen minutes. The ink on the parchment had dried and it was ready to be sent but Yifan’s face flickering in his mind kept him from immediately tying twine around the letter and sending it off. Strangely enough, the fear that had gripped him previously when he had first discovered Yifan unconscious had faded, leaving him with a cold determination to break the curse and to keep his lover safe.

_“That stag the king had seen, it may have been planned. The King thinks she wants revenge on her pet. But it's more deep seated than that. The one she truly wants is…”_

Yixing jolted slightly as the memory of his father’s words returned to his mind, having been spoken so long ago that he had almost forgotten. He sat upright in the chair, mind whirling as he struggled to recall the conversation he had had with Yifan the night he had his first nightmare.

_"So the man who caused the uprising was one of your ancestors? And Raven led the uprising as revenge all for a lost child?"_

_“But here, my father gave me a list of the boy's attributes. Knock yourself out with it. I have yet to find a connection.”_

He may not have found a connection then but he sure could now as the images of his nightmare came to his mind, crystal clear, as if they had never been foggy and clouded in his memory.

_The woman who cradled a child, a baby boy. The cloth bundle being snuck away and the child dying in his father’s place. The woman’s furious words._

_In his impending doom, a **kin’s love** his only boon._

Yixing finally knew what Raven desired, he finally understood then that all along, Raven had planned every event to occur at such precise timing because her ultimate goal had never been Luhan.

The twisted words of the curse were ingrained deep into his mind, the curse breaker constantly echoing in the back of his mind as he reached for the parchment, feeling the roughness beneath his fingertips as he rolled it up. The paper crinkled as he tightened the twine, a sense of peacefulness overcoming him as he realized that he could fix things, that he, of all people, had the power to stop all of this, that Raven could be satisfied with just him. With a soft, sad smile spreading over his features, the advisor rose to his feet, leaving the scroll behind on the wooden desk.

 

-

 

“Bring this to my father when the time comes and tell him that I am sorry.” Yixing whispered into Joonmyun’s ear, pressing a tightly rolled scroll into the lord’s hands. Joonymun looked up at him with a worried expression as he mounted his horse in preparation.

The sky was a deep midnight blue, small stars twinkling in the distance. The full moon shone down upon them and a gust of wind whipped Yixing’s blue cloak around his shoulders as he smoothed down Scorpio’s mane.

“Be careful, Yixing.” Joonmyun mumbled, feeling fear and helplessness fill his heart. Yixing was saved from having to reply when the large oak doors creaked open, Luhan’s golden horns a blur as he bolted out of the castle, Yifan close behind him. The prince’s eyes were glowing violet as he swung astride his horse, chasing after his brother with a bow and quiver full of arrows across his back.

“I’ll be going now.” With those last words, Scorpio was off, long legs eating up the ground.

 

-

 

Yixing’s fingers curled tightly into Scorpio’s mane, the coarse grey hair reassuring as he leaned forward, urging his horse on. He could see glints of gold shifting through the trees, hear the heavy hoof beats of his horse strike the earth as they streaked through the forest, chasing after the princes in front of them.

Antares was breathing hard, sweat foaming where the leather of the reins rubbed against his neck. Yifan sat atop him, expression cold and dark as he chased his brother deeper into the forest. He was barely aware of his best friend riding next to him, all his attention was focused on the golden horned stag. Every fibre of his being was telling him to draw his bow and send an arrow flying towards the stag but he remained calm even as his horse leapt over a fallen tree, Yixing following close behind.

The trees slid back around them suddenly and melted into nothing, revealing the stag that was slowly tiring in front of them. Yifan’s gaze hardened and he reached back for his bow. The stag stumbled and tripped, the black horse closing the distance between them all too quickly. Yixing lurched forward, terrified when he saw the stag’s front legs collapse, the poor animal struggling back to his feet again. The mistake had cost him valuable time and the prince was nearly close enough to shoot.

The advisor clamped his legs tightly around his horse and Scorpio snorted, lengthening his stride. His legs practically ate up the distance between him and the black horse racing just ahead of him. Yixing’s heart was thumping wildly in his chest, terror and panic racing through him when he saw Yifan pull an arrow from his quiver. “C’mon boy. Just a little more. A little more,” he coaxed under his breath, fingers starting to cramp up from holding the reins so tight. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his eyes and flattening his fringe to his forehead as he urged Scorpio on.

The white horse whinnied, sinewed body surging forward with one last burst of energy just as the prince let his arrow fly. Yixing yanked hard on the reins and his horse reared, pivoting on its hind legs.

Yifan screamed when he felt his body leave the saddle, his horse rising onto its hind quarters in shock. The wind whistled past his ears as he flew, backwards and away from Antares. He struck the ground with a resounding thud, the air knocked out of his lungs. A shock of pain jolted up his spine upon contact with the ground and the world spun.

As the prince lay on the ground winded and possibly in shock, his arrow flew straight and sure, burying itself deeply into the left side of his best friend’s chest. Red blossomed across Yixing’s shirt, a stark contrast against the white cloth.

Yixing cried out, more in surprise at the foreign object entering his body than in pain as he flung his body weight forward to bring Scorpio back onto the ground. There was a buzzing in his ears, Scorpio’s heavy panting suddenly sounding too loud. “Good…boy,” he managed to croak even as the colours around him became too bright, and he could feel a headache coming on. As the adrenaline faded, his body felt too heavy to hold up and he slumped forward, moaning when the movement jolted the arrowhead inside him.

He lifted a hand to his chest and winced when it came away covered in blood. Even as his hand reached for the arrow’s shaft, the arrow dissolved into violet smoke. The world tilted and the sky went dark, as the trees returned, shrouding them in shadows. The stag had fallen to his knees, screaming as his body contorted through his final transformation. Yixing laid his forehead against Scorpio’s neck, feeling the animal tremble as the sky grew darker and the air filled with a raven’s call. He watched in sick fascination as a trail of smoke travelled through the air, forming into a corporeal shape of a woman.

_Raven._

 


	17. Chapter 16

“WHAT?!” Zhang Cheng roared.

Joonmyun ducked away, cowering against the wall. “Yi…Yixing… He’s… He’s gone after… after them,” he stuttered, watching with bated breath as Zhang Cheng’s face contorted in anguish. Fingers clenched tightly onto Joonmyun's shoulder, so hard that he could feel nails biting into skin and then he was being hauled down the hallway, the healer’s voice hoarse with emotion as he called out desperately for the king.

Zhang Cheng's wife who had overheard everything was standing by the door, face in her hands as she struggled to contain her tears.

Joonmyun could only pray desperately that they would not be too late as he swung astride the horse that had been brought for him.

 

-

 

Yifan wiggled his fingers and toes, checking for broken bones before slowly pushing himself to sit up. From his position, he could see a woman’s long robes sweep the forest floor as she approached Yixing’s horse. His heart nearly stopped when he spotted his brother lying on his side, unconscious only a few metres away from Yixing.

The forest had fallen into an eerie silence the moment Raven arrived. She took no notice of the naked prince lying only a few paces from her, having eyes only for the beautiful being she had been waiting for.

Yixing looked at her warily as she approached him, pale hand outstretched. The pain from the arrow had outweighed the need to keep the sorceress from touching him and he remained still even as Raven’s cold hand brushed across his cheek.

“Look at you,” she breathed in slight awe, basking in the beauty of the young man. The resemblance to her son was uncanny and it filled her with such satisfaction that he had grown up so well.

Yixing flinched when her hand moved from his cheek to his sensitive neck. Her hand was so cold and he was seeing black spots dancing in front of his eyes.

Yifan struggled to his feet, resting a hand on Antares’ shoulder to keep himself upright. Cold fear trickled through him at the sight of the sorceress so close to his love. “Don’t touch him.”

Raven’s eyes turned on him and she smirked at the sight of the prince leaning heavily against his horse. “Well, well, well. This is such an honour, Your Highness,” she purred, the thrall she had been in breaking as her fingers tightened around Yixing’s neck.

“Get away from him.” Yifan’s eyes flickered to his best friend, who looked appropriately terrified as the sorceress rested her other hand across his wrist.

Raven leered and with a sharp pull, she yanked the advisor from his horse.

Yixing cried out in pain and stumbled, forced to lean against the sorceress for support when the pain from his wound caused black spots to cloud his vision.

“Yixing!” Yifan started forward, furious.

“Uh, uh, uh. One more step and he’s gone,” Raven warned, a dagger made of crystal materializing in her hand. Yixing’s eyes flashed with fear when the weapon was laid upon his neck. Yifan froze, eyes flickering to look at Yixing. “I thought you should have known, little prince. Your brother’s curse is broken and it’s all his fault.” Raven’s lips curled into a smirk and she pulled Yixing closer.

“What are you talking about?” The prince had a hand on the hilt of his dagger, eyes slanting towards the sorceress.

Raven’s hand tightened around the advisor’s neck and she smirked. “Oh, I’m sure little Yixing would tell you.”

Yifan sent his best friend a questioning glance, who looked up at him with frightened eyes.

“The…the curse.” Yixing stuttered, terrified to the core. “I figured out the last sentence.” He breathed, more strongly. The prince cocked his head, encouraging him to continue. “In his impending doom, a kin’s love his only boon.” The advisor recited, watching as his best friend’s eyes widened in horror.

“No!” Yifan could not believe it. He drew his dagger, fury exploding through him. He would not allow this blasted sorceress to take his best friend away. He lunged forward, much to Yixing’s dismay, dagger in hand, determined to protect his love. Raven laughed cruelly and flicked her wrist, easily sending the prince flying backwards across the clearing.

Yifan gasped in pain when his back struck the ground violently for the second time that day and everything around him spun. His dagger had fallen from his hand, quite a distance away and the only weapon he had left was the quiver of arrows still slung on his back.

Yixing cried out, struggling to free himself from the sorceress’s arms to get to Yifan but a coil of black smoke snaked around him, pinning his arms to his sides. He writhed as the smoke tightened, pulling him to Raven’s side. “Let me go!” he yelled, snatching Raven’s attention away from the prince.

The sorceress’s eyes darkened and she grabbed the man by his shoulder, dragging him even closer to her. “You need to respect your mother,” she hissed into his face and Yixing flinched away, further igniting her anger.

“No.” Yifan breathed as he struggled to his feet once more, dizziness overcoming him. He took a step and his knees buckled before he collapsed onto his knees.

Raven paid him no mind, opening her mouth to chant a string of incantations as the advisor fought to free himself from her magic. All heads turned when a series of hoof beats sounded against the forest floor, moving closer and closer towards them.

“Blast it.” The sorceress snarled before yanking Yixing close to her. Scorpio reared, kicking out his front legs as he spun, teeth clamping down upon his rider’s sleeve, his senses kicking in when he realised before the prince did, what the sorceress intended to do. Raven sneered at the horse and lashed out with her hand, a tendril of smoke exploding across the white horse’s shoulder, causing the poor creature to scream and leap away in agony, the fabric of the advisor’s shirt tearing in the process.

“No!” Yifan screamed when Yixing’s terrified eyes met his and he heard his best friend cry out his name before the sorceress dissolved into smoke, taking Yixing with her.

“Yifan!”

“No, no, no!” The prince howled, staggering to his feet just as three horses burst into the clearing, sweating and panting.

“Yifan!” Yi Chen flung himself off his horse.

Yifan turned to him, fists clenched in fury. “She took him. She took him!” he cried, body trembling violently as his father enveloped him in his strong arms. He pressed his head against his father’s chest and wept openly, angry and scared that he had allowed his best friend to be taken from him by the kingdom’s most dangerous and powerful sorceress.

“Yifan.” The king held his son close to him, feeling terribly selfish that his son, no, both his sons were safe.

Zhang Cheng was standing by Yixing’s white horse, eyes wide in disbelief. “Where is my son?” he demanded, turning to the prince, his fists clenching involuntarily. Yifan could not meet his eyes, hiding his face into his father’s chest. The healer felt a heavy weight settle in his chest, his hands starting to tremble at the unspoken words. “Where is Yixing?” He breathed, terror closing his throat at the terrible thought that gripped him.

Joonmyun bit his lip, eyes tracing across Yixing’s beloved horse in the hope of finding any clues. His breath hitched at the sight of black symbols that still had smoke curling from them, that had been branded onto the horse’s snow coloured coat. Scorpio was trembling and sweating, breath huffing out harshly in loud pants as he eyed Joonmyun warily. “Doctor Zhang.” The lord exhaled, lifting a hand to rest on the horse’s shoulder. The creature side stepped, flinching when the lord’s hand came close to the marks.

Zhang Cheng turned and bile rose up in his throat at the sight of the ugly blackened symbols cruelly carved into Scorpio’s skin. “Oh my god.” He lifted his hands to cover his mouth and for a moment, Joonmyun actually thought he was about to throw up. “Easy boy, easy.” Joonmyun reached for the bridle of the horse as the healer approached the creature. Scorpio tossed his head, huffing, baulking and sidestepping when Zhang Cheng reached out a hand towards him.

“Woah. Hush now.” A new voice echoed from behind the horse and Scorpio calmed, panic quickly fading from his eyes.  Joonmyun took the chance to grab the strap of his bridle to hold him still as Zhang Cheng peeked over the horse to see a golden haired young man standing on the other side, hand smoothing over the horse’s shoulder and whispering calming words to the creature. The man was naked, body covered in a soft sheen of sweat as he petted the horse. There was no question who he was with the startling resemblance he had to Yifan.

“Luhan.” The healer whispered dully, and the prince bowed to him, looking every bit as regal a prince should be, even naked. Joonmyun shrugged off the cloak draped around his shoulders and held it out for the naked prince.

Luhan took it from him with a quiet thanks, shielding his body from the elements. “Raven took him.”

The moment the words were out in the open, Zhang Cheng felt his world fragment. When Joonmyun had come clean earlier, tearfully recounting everything that Yixing had told him about the curse, he had barely been able to believe what he had been hearing. The fact that his son had known exactly what would happen and still went ahead with his plan, broke his heart. “No.” His breath caught in his throat and a sob tore out of him. “NO!” he cried, knees buckling forward as he buried his face into his hands.

 

-

 

“Ah!” Yixing gasped, when the black smoke cleared and a hard pressure against his back sent him sprawling onto the stone floor. He lay there for a minute, panting as he tried to catch his breath. The pain in his chest was excruciating as he struggled to sit up, the cold from the black stones seeping into his bones.

“Where…” He started, looking around him for any landmarks or indication of where he was. There was barely any light, the only source of brightness streaming in from a tiny window across the circular room. A four poster bed took up most of the space, the bed frame made of dark oak and covered with black velvet sheets.

From where he was sitting, the advisor could see no doors or any indication of how he had gotten into the room. Cold fear rushed through him as he dragged himself to his feet painfully, using the bed frame to haul himself up. “Raven?” He called warily, one hand pressed to his wound as he stood in the middle of the circular room. There was no answer.

Wincing in pain as he managed to move to one wall, fingers curled around the bed frame to guide him, Yixing pressed himself against the cold wall, feeling for any drafts that could indicate cracks or loose stones but there were none, the stone unyielding beneath his fingertips.

The advisor wobbled over to the window and looked out, despair gracing his features when he realized that he recognized nothing outside. There were tall black iron gates topped with barbs on the ends and a courtyard with a fountain that was past its prime with mold and blackish green algae draped along the edges.

Pain from his wound made his knees weak and he sank onto the floor, eyes fluttering close as his breathing went shallow. The room was freezing cold even as he dragged his cloak tighter around him, the blue velvet cloak that Yifan had given to him. The advisor heard a soft puff of smoke and kept his eyes squeezed shut when he heard fabric swishing softly across the floor towards him.

A cold hand brushed across his cheek and he flinched, cowering away against the wall. “You are so beautiful,” Raven whispered, smoothing fingers into the advisor’s hair as he turned away from her, trying not to react to her touches.

“What do you want from me?” he whispered, petrified as the sorceress caressed his cheek. Raven smirked and bent her head, dark hair brushing across Yixing’s pale face before pressing a kiss onto his forehead tenderly. “I want you to stay with me of course. My son,” she purred and Yixing’s eyes rolled back, the room going black around him.

 

-

 

The air in the room was solemn as Joonmyun carefully untied the twine around the scroll that contained Yixing's last words to his father. The pain that had dulled somewhat tore through him anew when the parchment unrolled to reveal Yixing's neat scrawl in crisp black ink.

Yifan was staring silently out of the window, eyes glazed with unshed tears. Luhan was dressed in simple cotton clothes that Shinwoo had brought with him when he had left Castle Adfeilion, much preferring the materiel over the scratchy embroidered clothes that the palace had, fretting nervously as he awaited the servants to call him out to the throne room where the regents were explaining the situation to the court.

_Raven’s weakness. It's something physical. No one in the world can contain that much power in one body. Find it and come for me. Luhan will find me._

Joonmyun sat bolt upright, the parchment crinkling loudly in his hands attracting the attention of both the princes.

“What is it?” Luhan asked curiously.

“Yixing.” Joonmyun read the words aloud, watching as Luhan’s eyes widened and Yifan turned his head to look at them.

“You know where he is?” The words were slowly and clearly enunciated as Yifan gazed at his brother.

Luhan shook his head violently, hands grasping at the silk sheets that covered the bed uselessly. “She was the one who found me that one time. I… I don’t think I could retrace my steps if I wanted to.”

Just then, a servant poked her head in, gesturing for the prince to leave the confines of the room. Luhan’s hands fluttered nervously as he got off the bed, tugging at the hem of his shirt incessantly as he followed the servant out.

“We’ll find him, Yifan,” Joonmyun murmured as Yifan’s blank gaze shifted back to the window.

 

-

 

“How can he be suited for the throne when he has been raised in the moors outside of human company?!” Re Shi, a lord in the king’s court yelled out from his place, shooting daggers from his eyes at the young prince that stood before them in simple cotton clothing so unlike his. Luhan flinched, feeling his father’s hand land heavily on his shoulder.

The king’s eyes were dark with anger as he gazed upon his court, all in chaos as they protested against the king’s decision in making his first born the heir. “Yes, how will he be able to rule over our people when all he knows is the forest and what predators to run from?” Another lord sneered.

Yi Chen’s fingers tightened. “He will be tutored and groomed into a ruler. He will make a fine king. My man tells me that he is bright and intelligent.”

Duke Junseo stepped in, seeing the dark cloud over the king’s face. “Then why has he been hidden from us? Why deceive us in the first place!”

Luhan shrank back, his father’s arms moving around his shoulders to shield him. “Would you have preferred I left him here?! As a beacon for the sorceress who cursed him in the first place? Would all of you have stood up to fight against one of the most powerful sorceress that has threatened our existence throughout history?!” Yi Chen bit out, curling his arms protectively over his son. All throughout the years, his love for his first born had never shifted and now that he held his son in his arms again, he was not willing to allow the people of his court to deface him in such a manner.

“Where is your advisor, milord? Surely he would advise against such drastic actions.” Yi Chen exchanged looks with his queen nervously and refused to answer. Zhang Cheng was currently in his chambers with his wife, searching desperately for a way to bring their son back.

 

-

 

Yifan slammed the book vehemently onto the table. “Useless! All of this!” he snarled.

Joonmyun exchanged glances with Luhan worriedly. The prince had stopped being himself, throwing himself into the archives of the library in search for anything that may help them pinpoint Raven’s weakness and his fiery temper flared often and too easily. Zitao and the other guards all loathed to approach him when he was like that, leaving Joonmyun and his brother to deal with his breakdowns.

“Perhaps the old history books give us much more help. Did my ancestors not defeat Raven before?” Luhan asked gently, as Yifan stalked out of the library, heading towards the stables as he had often done to spend time with Yixing’s horse, Scorpio, whose body was still lined with the black scars that Raven had branded him with for his bravery.

“The history books do not state her weakness. They only glorify the battle and Raven was never truly defeated, only terribly weakened,” Joonmyun answered, shutting his own book with a sigh. It was late at night and he was exhausted. He glanced across the table at Yifan’s notebook, which had been left open at a blank page. A piece of parchment much longer than the book laid across its pages, filled with spidery writing that looked nothing like Yifan’s.

Joonmyun frowned and leaned across the table, reaching for the paper. The parchment was much thinner than the paper they used and was old and slightly torn around the edges. The signature at the bottom of the page said: _Zhang Wulian_.

 

_Zhang Wulian._

 

Joonmyun’s mind flashed. The man who had caused the uprising had not been a Wu. Perhaps they had been looking in the wrong places the whole time. He shoved his chair back, the wood scraping harshly across the paneling and Luhan winced. “I’m going to find Yixing’s father,” he said before running out of the library.

 

-

 

Zhang Cheng flicked the page of the old history book over, mind whirling as he thought. He refused to lose his only son to a sorceress that his own ancestors had beaten in the past. The book fell open, revealing an old faded drawing, with text scribbled in tiny lettering next to it. The drawing was of a crystal, carefully painted a purple that would have been vivid had the book been new but the colours had faded with age.

He stared at the crystal, eyes flicking towards the spidery handwriting in the corner of the picture. The crystal was sharp and wrapped in what looked like leather cord. The writer had described an almost eerie glow that the stone seemed to emit and right below that text, was the words: Once destroyed, the sorceress loses all power and may even cease to exist.

The healer’s eyes widened and his heart started to race, searching through the page for any more clues as to where the sorceress’ castle may be hidden. His eyes caught onto black bold lettering, runes drawn in black ink that looked similar to the scars his son’s horse now carried. There were tiny words written beneath the runes but they were so faded that all he could read were: _May, find Rav, castle. Made of obsidian. Ravens_ , but they were all that he needed to know.

Zhang Cheng leapt to his feet, hope rippling through his heart. He snatched up a quill that had black ink crusted onto its nib and stuck it between the pages of the book before snapping the book shut. His fingers had just curled around the door handle when the door was forcefully thrown open and Joonmyun stood before him, face red and sweaty, panting heavily.

“Family…history…” The lord breathed, doubling over to clutch at his stomach. Zhang Cheng stared and wordlessly open the book in his hands, displaying the painting and the runes to the young man. Joonmyun’s eyes lit up and he cried out in relief and delight. They had done it. Yixing could be saved.

 

-

 

Yixing’s eyes fluttered open and he sat up, the black silk sheet that had been covering his chest sliding down to pool on the bed. His eyes dimmed when he realized that he was still in the same room he had been in ever since he had arrived. The pain in his chest had faded and when he looked down, he was startled to find that he had been changed into a white outfit that was similar to the one Yifan adored him in.

There was a tightness around his chest that he quickly realized was a bandage as he slid off the bed, grimacing when his bare feet came into contact with the freezing cold stone floor. The cold nearly took his breath away as he padded over to the window to look out hopefully.

A puff of smoke coming from the other side of the room startled him and he whirled around, hand reaching instinctively for his dagger. He was dismayed to find that his weapon was missing as the sorceress approached him, carrying a silver tray lined with food.

“It’s time for breakfast darling.” Yixing cringed at the sickly sweet voice that assaulted his ears and backed away when the sorceress thrust the tray towards him. “You must eat.” Raven’s tone dropped and she was getting annoyed as Yixing refused to speak or accept the tray.

The advisor shook his head wordlessly and bit his lip nervously when he saw the look in Raven’s eyes darken. “You will eat.” The sorceress shoved the tray towards the young man and he jerked backwards, causing the tray to clatter onto the floor, soup pooling into the cracks between the stone.

“Leave me alone!” Yixing cried out, his voice cracking in fear when the sorceress’s eyes narrowed and she lunged for him. The advisor danced out of reach from Raven’s outstretched fingers, only stopping when the pain in his chest flared up. “Obey your mother!” He stumbled when slim cold fingers grasped at his shirt, dragging him back towards the woman.

“You are not my mother!” He gasped, yanking his shirt out of her grip and yelled in pain when a blast of purple light struck across his face, sending him onto the ground, a fresh burn across his white cheek.

The advisor’s hand trembled as he raised it to cover his cheek in shock and pain. Raven’s thin fingers curled around the collar of his shirt, dragging him up to his feet. Yixing’s breath hitched in fear when the sorceress’s eyes glowed violet and an invisible band wrapped around his throat, his hands going up in terror as the air seemed to be sucked out of his lungs. He gagged, choking as the collar tightened.

“You will eat.” Raven said coldly, flicking her wrist. The soup spilled across the floor reversed its course, refilling the bowl on its own. Yixing’s knees buckled when the collar pulled him forward, his lungs fighting for air. He collapsed onto his knees, hands scrabbling forward as his vision blurred.

The soup splashed around in the bowl when he grabbed it roughly, draining the liquid as quickly as he could. Gasping and spluttering as the soup made its way past his throat, he looked up at the sorceress with desperate eyes and the collar loosened slightly, enough for him to breathe.

“You will obey your mother or be punished.” Raven rested a hand upon the advisor’s burned cheek and the red scarred skin faded back to white. Yixing kept his eyes on the floor as the sorceress vaporized into smoke, leaving him alone in the room once more.

 

-

 

Yifan’s brows furrowed as he brought his sword down upon the briars, the sharpened blade slicing a gaping hole through the plants. Yixing would be in anguish, chastising him that the plants had done him no wrong but Yixing was not here. The thought filled him with fury and he swung his sword again, sending another vine of thorns crashing to the ground. Yixing was on the other side of this monster and he would cut down anything and anyone that dared to stand in his way of his lover.

His brother was at his side, slicing the briars with more precision and thought along with Joonmyun. The guards they had brought with them were helping as well but Yifan barely noticed them, the edges of his vision glowing red as the last image he had of his best friend filled his mind. He remembered the terror written all over Yixing’s face and the helplessness he had felt as he swung his sword one last time, the last briar bush crashing into the ground inches away from his friends.

They stood together in the hole they had created in the monstrous bush, staring in awe and fear at the blackened courtyard and massive stone castle before them. The ravens circled above them, possibly alerting the sorceress of their presence but Yifan felt no fear. He stepped forward first, amber eyes glowing with hatred, moving across the courtyard to the heavy dark oak doors.

Without knocking, he dragged the doors apart, the wood squeaking loudly as it scraped against the stone. Joonmyun caught the prince’s arm before they could step in, pulling him away. “Yifan,” he said, suppressing a shudder when his friend’s fiery eyes settled on him. “Please don’t do anything stupid.”

The look in the prince’s eyes darkened and he turned around violently, pulling his arm out of the lord’s grasp. “Let’s go.” His tone was cold and his brother moved to his shoulder, murmuring gentle words that the others could not hear. They seemed to have no effect on the prince, his shoulders still tense with anger and worry.

Joonmyun bit his lip worriedly. Yifan had not been the same since Yixing had been taken, and in the days leading up to this expedition he had thrown himself into training, hatred and love fueling him. Now that they were here, Joonmyun feared that he may throw their carefully laid plans awry with one wrong, passionate move.

“We should split up,” Yifan said, his voice echoing through the eerily empty halls.

“We agreed that we would stay together.” Zitao interjected, eyes steely and hard. The prince’s eyes narrowed. “It would be faster.”

Luhan kept his hand on his brother’s arm, shooting him a look. “We will stick together,” he said firmly. Yifan made a disgusted sound and turned away, muttering furious words under his breath. Luhan’s face creased in concern but he said nothing more, following his brother closely as they travelled through the dark unknown castle.

Luhan’s heart was beating erratically in his chest as he kept a close eye on his brother. He knew it was a terrible idea to defy their father and leave the palace in search of Yixing but Yi Chen had wanted to organize the army together and wait for Junseo to send word for his men to join them. He agreed with Yifan that that would have taken too long and with Yixing’s life hanging in the balance, he organized this rescue mission with Joonmyun who surprisingly had been supportive of the entire mission.

He pictured the sorceress once more in his head, memorizing the exact position of her crystal so as to make things easier. Beside him, Yifan was growing restless as the castle seemed to get darker.

Suddenly, a high pitched scream pierced through the silence, all six men’s hands flying to the hilt of their swords at once. Yifan was trembling in fury as he recognized the voice.

 

_Yixing._

The windows high above them shattered into pieces and ravens swarmed into the castle, squawking and cawing frantically. The oil lamps that the party had brought with them extinguished, leaving them in pitch blackness. Everyone in the party held their breaths as black smoke started to fill the room, congealing into the shape of a woman and a young man.

“Yixing!” Yifan could not control his despair when he saw his best friend. Yixing’s shirt was torn in several places and there were scratches on his face, startlingly red against his too pale skin. He was on his knees next to the sorceress, limbs restrained by invisible chains. Yixing’s lips parted when he saw the prince, as if to speak but no words passed his mouth.

“Look who dared to show up here.” Raven sneered, lifting a hand towards Yixing. The advisor bit back the whimper that threatened to spill out as the collar around his neck tightened. 

 

_Yixing._

The windows high above them shattered into pieces and ravens swarmed into the castle, squawking and cawing frantically. The oil lamps that the party had brought with them extinguished, leaving them in pitch blackness. Everyone in the party held their breaths as black smoke started to fill the room, congealing into the shape of a woman and a young man.

 

“Yixing!” Yifan could not control his despair when he saw his best friend. Yixing’s shirt was torn in several places and there were scratches on his face, startlingly red against his too pale skin. He was on his knees next to the sorceress, limbs restrained by invisible chains. Yixing’s lips parted when he saw the prince, as if to speak but no words passed his mouth.

 

“Look who dared to show up here.” Raven sneered, lifting a hand towards Yixing. The advisor bit back the whimper that threatened to spill out as the collar around his neck tightened.

 

“Let him go.” Yifan’s eyes were cold as he surveyed the sorceress. The scrape of metal against leather was heard as the guards drew their swords, ready to defend the two princes from any harm.

The sorceress rolled her eyes and flicked her wrist almost lazily, to send the weapons flying to the floor but to her surprise, the guards only moved closer, her magic having no effect on them. Her eyes brightened at the thought of a proper fight and with another flick of her wrist, Yixing was relegated to a corner of the hallway away from them. Raven drew her crystal dagger as the men surrounded her, Yifan’s face a grim mask of fury. “Don’t you feel useless, little prince? Allowing me to take your precious friend away so easily?” the sorceress mocked.

Yifan’s face hardened. He lunged forward and Raven danced out of his sword range easily.

Yixing fought against his restraints helplessly as he watched Raven fling a bolt of magic carelessly in Yifan’s direction, slicing a gash in his pant leg as he stepped away. He watched with terror in his heart as Luhan tried to attack the sorceress from behind, his brother keeping her distracted. His sword caught onto her sleeve and the fabric tore, the ripping sound echoing in the dark hall.

Raven spun around, eyes flashing and Luhan found the ground beneath him vanishing, wind slammed out of his lungs and pain exploding up his spine when he crashed hard into the black wall with a sickening thud. “Royals always fight dirty.” The sorceress snarled, flicking her wrist and Sehun cried out when he flew backwards, his shoulder cracking hard against the wall. Jongin ducked away, running towards his fallen comrade and the prince.

Raven flung a magic bolt at his retreating back and lunged towards Joonmyun who was coming towards her at an angle. Jongin’s legs folded beneath him as he shrieked in anguish at the pain that shot up his spine. Yixing screamed when he heard a sickening crack and saw the lord’s face contort in agony as the magic shattered through his body, breaking his ribs.

“Joonmyun!” Yifan parried away the magic bolt coming towards him and ran to his friend’s side, leaving the guards to deal with the sorceress. Zitao ducked when a purple ball of fire flew at him, sizzling with intent. He dived for the sorceress’s waist, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

Raven shrieked as the guard dragged her onto the ground, even as her magic burned through his gauntlets and clothing. Zitao howled when purple light blinded his eyes, hands releasing the woman quickly to shield his eyes from the searing light. Yixing dragged himself to his feet, the magical bonds having released due to Raven’s inattention.

He curled a hand around the sorceress’s hair, yanking her back before she could reach the prince who was rising to his feet, face dark with anger. The sorceress snarled in fury, reaching behind her to close her fingers around the advisor’s throat. With a hard yank, Yixing found himself knocked to the ground, all the air snatched from him. His hands jerked and he gasped when Raven knelt, pressing a knee to his chest, crystal dagger glinting cruelly.

“How dare you attack your mother!” The sorceress’s lips were twisted unnaturally.

Yixing’s hands closed around her thigh, trying to push her off. His eyes were focused on the terrifyingly sharp point of the dagger as it moved closer towards him. The look in Raven’s eyes was murderous as she brought the knife point down hard towards him. The advisor’s eyes squeezed shut as he twisted away from the knife as hard as he could, the pain flaring white hot throughout his body as the knife drove into his left side, a scream tearing past his lips as he shoved the sorceress off of him.

Yifan had come up right behind her, an arm locking around her throat as he reached for the crystal hanging around her neck. He knew he was doing the right thing when he saw her eyes widen. His knife sliced through the leather cord and the crystal fell into his bare hand, glowing eerily.

“Destroy it Yifan!” Yixing cried out as the magic from the crystal curled into the prince upon contact with his bare skin, the young man staggering back from the force of it. It made his mind go blank and his best friend’s screams were becoming hazy as the magic took over him.

“Yifan! Yifan!” Yixing howled, dragging himself to his feet painfully when he saw the prince’s arm loosen, the sorceress in his arms taking advantage of his weakness to free herself, dagger moving swiftly towards the prince’s chest. He cursed himself in his mind as he struggled towards his best friend, the wound in his side slowing him down.

 

_Twang!_

 

A scream echoed through the halls and Yixing’s head jerked up to see a shaken Jongin with a bow in his hands, having made certain that both Sehun and Luhan were alright. His trembling hands raised the bow, ready for another arrow but the sorceress, though wounded, was faster. A purple bolt caused the weapon to explode, sending sharp little shards of wood imbedding into the guard’s flesh. Another flash of purple light and Jongin was curled over on the ground, eyes squeezed shut in agony.

Raven pulled the bloody arrow out of her chest slowly, watching with grim satisfaction as red dripped from its tip. “Fool!” She reached for the prince who stood in front of her, his weapon on the ground as he gazed at the crystal in his hand.

“Yifan!” Yixing was desperate now, as his legs gave out from beneath him and he crumpled to the ground, sobs tearing out of his chest as he watched the sorceress bring the knife down hard, eyes squeezing shut.

“Blast it!” She had forgotten about Zitao. The guard yanked the prince backwards just in time, the knife barely missing him as it sliced through his shirt. Yixing felt hope rekindle in his chest and yelled.

“Get the crystal away from him and destroy it!” Zitao barely had time to yell when the sorceress was upon him, intent on preventing him from touching her precious pendant.

Yixing seized his chance and dragged himself once more to his feet. Ignoring the agonizing pain that was flaring across his body, he snatched up Yifan’s fallen dagger and stabbed Raven hard in her back, wrenching away when she howled and reached back, her knife clattering to the ground.

He kicked the crystal away from Yifan’s hand, not stopping to see the cloud lift from his best friend’s eyes and flung himself upon the offending object, fury and pain racing through his body as he drove the knife straight through the crystal.

 

_Crack!_

 

Raven was upon him in an instant, even as her power dissolved away from her as the crystal lay shattered on the floor. She was howling and screaming at him, but all the advisor could see was the glittering shards of broken crystal and a sense of relief. As the sorceress bore down on him, her body dissolving into centuries old dust, the world spun and went black…

 

 

 

 

 


	18. Epilogue

“This is a pain in the ass.” Luhan complained as he tilted his chin higher, trying not to make the book fall. Shinwoo raised his eyebrows in amusement as he watched the prince stretch his arms out, as if he was an acrobat on a tightrope. “Why do I need to do this again? Aren’t princesses the ones who need to learn how to stand and walk?” He arched his back and his caretaker bit back his laughter.

The prince made a funny sight, balancing a book on top of his head and walking around the room. “Your father’s orders. If you are to lead the kingdom one day, you must have good etiquette.” Shinwoo explained carefully and Luhan let out a long suffering sigh.

“And if we run into more malicious Draiochta, perhaps we shall defeat them with a perfectly straight spine and a book on my head?” There was a soft chuckle from the door and the prince whirled around in surprise, the book falling off his head and onto the ground, barely missing his foot by a few centimeters.

“You sound so much like your brother when you say that.” Yixing smiled serenely at the elder prince as he leaned against the doorway. Luhan raised his eyebrows when he saw no sign of Yifan anywhere near the advisor. After the incident, Yifan rarely left Yixing’s side and could constantly be seen hanging around the library where the advisor worked with Joonmyun.

“Where’s your shadow?” He asked playfully, bending down to pick the book up. Yixing shrugged and reached out a hand to take the book from the prince. “I sent him off to help Joonmyun because I’m supposed to take to you to meet someone.”

 

-

 

“Damn it, WU YIFAN!!!” A loud roar exploded from the last room down the hall, startling the advisor and young lord walking out of the library. Footsteps thundered down the corridor, heavy with intent. The prince rounded the corner, mouth pulled up into a smirk as he ran. “Come with me,” he urged, grabbing up Yixing’s wrist.

The advisor stumbled, shooting a pleading look in Joonmyun’s direction but the lord only shrugged and walked away with an amused smile on his face. The pair were too busy running to see Kyungsoo appear from behind the corner and slide an arm around his waist.

“Where are we going?” Yixing wheezed as Yifan dragged him further down the hall.

“Just go before he catches us,” the prince hissed, pulling his lover along.

The scenario vaguely reminded Yixing of how Yifan would escape his lessons with him in tow when he was younger but the thought was quickly yanked out of his mind when Yifan shoved him behind a corner, barely catching him in time when his knees collapsed. The prince squeezed him against the wall and they both held their breaths as heavy footsteps thundered past them.

“Your stamina needs improvement, Little Star.” Yifan smirked when Yixing glared at him, clutching at his stomach as he gasped for air. “You…” his best friend rasped and the prince could not resist, Yixing’s flushed and windblown face too adorable for him to comprehend. He leant down and pressed their lips together tenderly, the advisor’s hands immediately reaching up to clutch at his face.

“You'll need to keep up with me in bed, sweetheart,” the prince whispered and the fading blush on his lover’s face came back in full force.

“You horny bastard.” Yixing whacked his shoulder and then all the air was sucked out of his lungs when cold water rained down on the both of them.

"Gotcha!" Luhan's triumphant yell could be heard all the way down the hall.

Yixing laughed out loud at the astonished look on Yifan’s face. The prince looked absolutely pitiful, having taken the brunt of the hit, with his golden hair matted to his forehead and white shirt soaked through. The advisor grabbed ahold of his collar, tugging him back down for a kiss, allowing himself to be pressed back against the wall. “Work with me on this,” he whispered against Yifan’s lips, smirking when he heard Luhan’s fake gagging sounds.

Yifan grinned deviously and slid a hand under his lover’s shirt, pulling a gasp from from Yixing with how cold his skin was.

“Guys! You’re supposed to be mad!” Luhan complained, watching in dismay as his brother kissed his boyfriend passionately against the wall, while still completely drenched to the bone. The lovers ignored him, Yixing whimpering in surprise when Yifan moved his mouth to his neck, one of his most sensitive areas on his mouth.

The elder prince pouted and turned away, nearly running straight into his own newly appointed advisor that Duke Junseo had personally recommended. “Minseok!” He stumbled and the man caught him easily.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you! You will come with me now.” The advisor grabbed hold of the prince’s wrist and dragged him away, not forgetting to throw a disgusted “Keep it in the bedroom, you guys!”, to the couple still making out against the wall.

“We’ll catch colds,” Yixing gasped but he was powerless to resist as Yifan mouthed at his neck, turning his knees to jelly. His hands grasped weakly at the door handle, soft whimpers leaving his mouth as the prince dipped his head further to kiss along his collarbones. “I’ll make you hot,” was the reply as by some miracle, the advisor managed to get the door open. His knees buckled when they hit the edge of the bed and he watched with barely concealed amusement as Yifan shut the door more carefully than he had opened it.

The prince’s expression was hungry as he gazed upon his lover and Yixing preened at the attention, reaching up to tug him down for a searing kiss. “Take me now.”

 

 


End file.
